


The Corset Prince

by LeisurelyPanda



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftercare, Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Victorian, BAMF Peggy Carter, BDSM, Dom Bucky Barnes, Feminization, Intrigue, M/M, Mpreg, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Omega Steve Rogers, Paganism, Political Alliances, Safe Sane and Consensual, Safewords, Slow Burn, Sub Steve Rogers, because dammit I'm not writing about people who don't, period-atypical hygiene, prince bucky, that's gross, the dog does not die, we're assuming that these people bathe and wash their damn hands and actually keep shit clean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:08:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23112964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeisurelyPanda/pseuds/LeisurelyPanda
Summary: The year is 1836. James David Henry Buchanan Barnes, called Bucky by close friends and James by family, is an alpha, a soldier without peer, a skilled military commander, and a charmer. He has allies and friends on both sides of the political aisle in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By all accounts, he is the favorite to become King when his father dies.There's just one problem. Bucky is the Duke of York, not the Prince of Wales. His brother, known throughout the world as Brock, is the eldest of the King's children. He has all the charm of a feral Doberman. He inherited their father's temper and his overall tendency towards excess.Enter one Steve Rogers, a little known nephew of a new, powerful merchant and innovator recently appointed to the House of Commons, Howard Stark. Steve is young and innocent. His engagement to Prince James is sudden and it sweeps him into a world unlike any he'd ever imagined. The palace, for all the lights, casts many shadows. However, there is more to Steve than anyone suspects, including himself.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 90
Kudos: 259





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [the Kept Boy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16136555) by [moonythejedi394](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonythejedi394/pseuds/moonythejedi394), [Neutralchaos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neutralchaos/pseuds/Neutralchaos). 



> Hello my loves! I did originally post this under a different ship, but I decided that it made more sense as stucky. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this story. Many thanks to moonythejedi394, whose fic, The Kept Boy, was a major inspiration for this fic. Definitely go and check it out, because it's amazing!

Steve stepped out of the carriage with a smile. It was a beautiful day. He and his friend, Peggy, had decided to go for a ride through the countryside surrounding their area of Newcastle. They had recently returned from London. The season had been exhausting. Steve decided that London was more trouble than it was worth. The people there were duplicitous, cruel, and spent all their time looking down their noses at others. 

Steve had attended the season in the company of his uncle, Howard, and his aunt, Marie. They resided in London for much of the year since Howard was in the House of Commons. Many officials and nobles looked down at Howard despite the fact that he was a powerful member of the House. Apparently working your way up to wealth and prestige to the point where one became a member of government was something to be ashamed of, not congratulated. 

It was no matter. Steve vastly preferred the countryside, anyway. He enjoyed nature, both seeing and exploring it. He loved fishing, collecting insects, inspecting local flora and fauna. If he had his way, he would spend his life studying such things. 

There were fascinating things in the city, too. There was gas lighting, for one thing. Peggy thought the idea was ludicrous, but Steve, like Howard, found the idea fascinating. There was also something called the telegram. It used a strange new language called Morse code that could be used to communicate across great distances. Howard had instantly purchased one so that he could communicate with Queensland manor in Newcastle. 

Of course, the truly exciting development was the steam engine. The idea that travel between regions in England could one day be done in a fraction of the time that they were done now filled Steve with no small degree of excitement. Peggy shared in his enthusiasm, though her own field of interest was in politics, though as an omega, she could not vote or hold office. 

Steve didn’t quite share her fascination with it. In all likelihood, Howard was attempting to find a suitable match for him in London. Some lord or count or viscount who presented some kind of political advantage they were willing to provide in exchange for what would probably be a sizeable dowry. 

Marriage would be the end. The end of Steve’s carefree days studying science and mathematics. The end of living in the countryside and exploring the wonders it held. The end of seeing his friends and family and not worrying about answering to someone he barely knew. 

Politics would likely mean the end of the life Steve loved. His husband would likely be a member of Parliament. Probably an old, wrinkly old beta who saw Steve as nothing more than a way to ensure an heir that had thus far eluded them. As much as Steve wanted to be married and mated, in theory, he’d always had romantic notions about what it meant. 

Spending night after night at crowded parties in cramped townhouses surrounded by leering betas and arrogant alphas put a bit of a cramp on that particular daydream. Real life wasn’t like the stories, with noble knights who rode in on majestic steeds to sweep omegas off their feet and into a life of passion and romance. 

Steve put all such thoughts out of his mind as he walked into the manor. It wasn’t that big, but it was still being built. In a year or so, it would be as big and lavish as any other noble house. Howard planned to have gas lighting throughout and Steve had already begun planning what he wanted his rooms to look like. Howard said he had a knack for design and architecture. Steve was always pleased when he heard such things. It seemed a much more useful skill to have than painting and embroidery. 

“Peggy, would you like some tea?” Steve asked. “I’m sure I could ring the kitchen to bring us some refreshments.” 

“Might as well,” she replied. “I’m not in the mood to return home just yet.” 

“It’s so good to be home,” Steve sighed happily. 

“Yeah, I get it, you love being in nature,” she said with a chuckle. “Personally, I would, too, if the trees and rabbits were in parliament.” 

“I think I would love parliament if they had trees and rabbits,” Steve replied. He led her to the drawing room and they sat down well away from the windows. It was September and the weather was finally beginning to cool from the oppressive summer heat. “I suppose no matter where we are, one of us is going to be dissatisfied with the surroundings.” 

“To our opposite personalities, then,” Peggy said as she sat down on the couch. Steve sat opposite her and rang for some lemonade. In the meantime, he took out his fan and began to try to cool himself. While it was certainly cooler than summer time, autumn had yet to completely banish the last vestiges of the season. 

“Did you find any interesting prospects in London?” Steve asked. 

“Maybe a few,” Peggy said. “But you know it’s different for me. I don’t have a wealthy uncle to escort me around and introduce me. My family is comparatively poor.” 

“True, but you don’t dislike London, even so,” Steve said. “You find Tories to debate every chance you get.” 

“What can I say, I’m drawn to follow my calling of debating idiots,” Peggy said with a shrug. “Besides, if money can’t attract the right sort of spouse, I have to rely on other means.” 

“So this is your way of using your omega charms to attract a Whig noble?” Steve asked. “Does it also work to repel the wealthy Tories?” 

“I suppose we’ll see,” she replied as a servant arrived with a metal pitcher of lemonade and a tray of biscuits. Steve poured them each a glass and they savored the cool, refreshing beverage. “What about you? Did Howard introduce you to anyone interesting?” 

“None that I found interesting, I’m sure,” Steve said. “You probably would’ve loved them.” 

“Who then?” she asked. Steve sighed. 

“Oh, there was Lord Coulson. He was some old associate of Howard’s apparently,” Steve said. “I didn’t catch whether he was a Whig or a Tory, though.” 

“Shame, but still potentially useful,” she replied. Steve could see the gears turning in her mind. 

“Then there was the Duke of Wellington,” Steve said. “He’s old, though, and his wife is still living.” 

“Good for them, I suppose,” she said. 

“Good for me, too. I just hope whoever Howard finds for me is at least young,” he said. 

“Youth is nice. Advantage is better,” Peggy countered. 

“You’ve been reading too many Jane Austen novels,” Steve replied. He looked up at the ceiling as he considered. “There was Viscount T’challa. You’d like him. He’s part of the House and apparently a young, up and coming politician.” 

“I’ve heard of him,” she said with a smile. “They say he has a turbulent relationship with Countess Nakia.” 

“Not the best news, then,” Steve said. Peggy just shrugged. 

“He’s not married yet,” she said. 

“Is your potential spouse going to be aware of your political ambitions?” Steve asked. 

“Most likely,” she said. “If not, then they’ll probably be deaf, or so oblivious they wouldn’t be worth the trouble.” 

“You have a very romantic way of looking at marriage, has anyone ever told you that?” Steve asked. 

“Romance is for novels, Steve,” she said. “We live in the real world. Omegas like us can’t afford to entertain daydreams when it comes to our futures, or did you forget that we can’t inherit?” 

“It’s hard to forget when you hear several times a day,” Steve sighed. “I swear, between you, Aunt May, and Uncle Howard, it would be amazing if I didn’t know.” 

“It’s important to remember,” she said. “Howard and Marie may have an alpha son, but she’s too young to be of any help to you.” 

“Why do you care so much about marrying, anyway?” Steve asked. “You have 5 brothers who are all alphas. Surely one of them would be able to help you when it comes time to inherit.” 

“Maybe I don’t want to be beholden to someone else,” she said. “If I had my own way to make a fortune, I would, but until that happens, I have to acknowledge that the only way for an omega to be truly independent is to have a powerful, but boring, spouse.” 

“I’m growing tired of this talk of business,” Steve said. “Besides, it’s not as though I met any of the alphas in London more than once or twice. I doubt any of them are really interested in me.” 

“Marriages have been arranged on less,” Peggy said as she took a sip of her lemonade. 

Steve suppressed a sigh. She was right, after all. It was not unheard of for families to arrange marriages for their omega relatives with little in the way of courtship. Howard and Marie were different, but of course, Howard had the wealth to be able to live comfortably and take his time. He was also an alpha, so the burden of choosing a spouse was less pronounced than it was for Steve. 

If his father hadn’t died in the Battle of Waterloo all those years ago, maybe they would’ve had another child who was an alpha who could ensure that Steve was comfortable. Alas, they did die. His father’s older brother, Ben, was the only one married at the time and could feasibly support a child. His mother’s brother, Howard, had been more of a partier back then, so sending Steve to live with him wasn’t practical. 

21 years later, Steve’s time in society had so far been brief and blessedly disappointing. The country balls were hardly a place where he could find a suitable match, so Steve was free to be a reclusive, mysterious young noble content to immerse himself in his studies. At least until spring returned and the season started anew. 

“How are you enjoying your studies?” Steve asked. Peggy sighed. 

“None of them are useful, so I hate them, naturally,” she replied. “Why omegas have to learn all these ridiculous skills in order to be considered accomplished, I will never know.” 

“You don’t think sewing is useful?” Steve asked. 

“I don’t think embroidery is useful,” she said. “Sewing is objectively useful for preserving clothes. I hardly have the money to buy new ones every time something gets damaged or torn.” 

“That’s fair, I suppose,” Steve said. 

“I prefer learning things that are interesting,” she said. “Like history and literature.” 

“Maybe you’ll marry a playwright,” Steve said with a grin. Peggy scoffed at the idea. 

“As much as I want someone a little more secure than a playwright, it wouldn’t be the worst thing,” she said. “As long as they were the sort of playwright that was interesting rather than dull and morose.”

Steve laughed at that. There had been a beta man who wrote her poetry a couple years ago. It was amusing at the time, but the poems were utterly terrible. The beta seemed confused about what she would like, or indeed, what anyone would like when it came to being wooed. Thankfully, she told him off after about a month and he went without a fuss. 

“You just need someone who shares your love for Mary Shelly’s _Frankenstein_ ,” Steve said with a grin. 

“That book is amazing, I’ll have you know,” she said. 

“It’s not exactly Shakespeare,” Steve replied. 

“Neither is Jane Austen, but you’ve read all of her books,” she countered. 

“Touché,” Steve said. 

“Besides, I can’t help it if most novels published are boring,” she said. “At least _Frankenstein_ and _The Castle of Udolpho_ are interesting.” 

“If by interesting, you mean creepy,” Steve said. 

“Honestly, Steve, we’ve been friends for how long? I would have thought that my excellent taste would’ve rubbed off on you eventually,” she said. 

Steve laughed at that and eventually she started laughing too. By the time they were done with their tea, the sun was setting and Peggy set off to return home. Steve saw her off before he jogged up the stairs to his room. On his way up, he passed his mother. 

“Steve, what’s the hurry?” she chuckled warmly. 

“Oh, nothing, I was just going upstairs to rest before dinner,” he said. “Peggy just went home.” 

“Well, as glad as I am to see that you’re enjoying being home again,” she said. “Howard’s sent us a telegram. He’s coming to the manor by the end of the week and he’s bringing news.”

“News?” Steve asked. His heart was suddenly beating fast with anticipation. “Did he say what kind?” 

“No, he didn’t,” she said. “He only mentioned that he wanted to speak to you in private when he arrives.” 

“Oh, well, that’s fine, I suppose,” Steve said. 

He held back a sigh. He could guess what kind of news it was going to be. In a perfect world, Steve would attend university at Oxford. Alas, his application was returned with the rather terse dismissal that Oxford did not accept omegas as students and that he would be better served attending to learning painting and music. Needless to say, Steve had taken it upon himself to do his own studying. 

It was a rather slow process. There were topics of interest that were simply unavailable because no one had published anything regarding them or Steve had questions that books could not answer. There were essays published in academic journals periodicals, but few of them went into as great detail as Steve would like. 

What kind of alpha would encourage Steve to learn about such things? What kind of alpha would allow him to pursue education? He would be more likely to be shuffled away to paint and have pups, to be brought out for special occasions. 

Peggy looked upon such arrangements as opportunities, as a means to an end. Steve could not agree. Such arrangements, marriage to an alpha of any kind of rank, would mean the end of any opportunity to ever do the things he took interest in. Steve had never really met an alpha that he thought was interesting, either. 

Most were through Howard, and that meant they were other nobles or gentlemen. Most, in his experienced, lacked half the charm they thought they had. They were full of themselves and more concerned about their positions, lands, or commerce than anything else. If they were interested in animals, they were interested in killing them. If they were interested in plants, it was only in what flowers Steve favored. They expected him to say something silly and cliché like roses or daisies. 

None of them were really interested in Steve, merely in what he could give them. He hated it. He hated being seen as a vessel for bearing pups. He liked pups well enough… from a distance. He was not blessed with the maternal instinct to swoon at the sight of pups. 

He arrived in his quarters and he sighed as he closed the door. His rooms weren’t many. He hardly had a wing to himself, but it was spacious enough to be comfortable to him. A moment later, he heard a bark and he smiled as he saw his corgi, Lizzie, bounding across the floor to greet him. He knelt on the floor and she flew into his arms. 

“Hey, girl, how are you?” he asked. He kissed her face and laughed as she kissed his. “You’ll never believe what happened today.”

He told her everything, from the glen he and Peggy had explored, to the conversation in the drawing room, to the news of Howard’s coming. She listened dutifully, as always. She was a quiet, gentle dog. She had been a gift from Howard for his 16th birthday nearly three years ago. 

“I hope it’s nothing,” he said. “I don’t want to marry anyone, not ever. I would be far happier surrounded by dogs like you, I think.”

Lizzie whined with sympathy and placed her paw on his hand. Steve picked her up and lay down on the bed. Lizzie curled up next to him and Steve pet her until he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! 
> 
> Come follow me on [tumblr](https://leisurelypanda.tumblr.com/) for various fandom related nonsense! <3


	2. Chapter 2

The next three days flew by, unfortunately. The downside to spending the season in London was that by the time Steve returned to Newcastle, all the interesting things that happened there in the spring and summer were already done. The tadpoles had become frogs, the dragonflies disappeared, the great and varied changes that occurred were already concluded. All that was left was for the creatures to prepare for winter, which would arrive in a few short months. 

He did enjoy getting to study other creatures, though, such as the deer, the birds, and other such creatures. He did not understand alphas’ fascination with hunting, however. He did, of course, understand that meat came from somewhere and that it was unrealistic to expect everyone to go without, but Steve did not find the idea of actually killing animals to be diverting. 

His favorite animals, aside from dogs, were turtles, though. He found them fascinating. The shells were incredible and the way they were as comfortable on land as they were in the water was amazing. They were also cute to look at, so it was disappointing that he no longer got to go looking for them when they were in their prime. 

None of them, however, were able to take his mind off the prospect of whatever news Howard was coming to deliver to him. On the day of Howard’s arrival, Steve went out riding with Peggy. 

“I get why you’re nervous, but maybe it’s not going to be as bad as you think,” she said. “Who even knows whether he has someone in mind for you or not? Maybe it’s something else.” 

“It’s not likely ot be something else,” Steve said. “Howard never comes to Newcastle. He’s happy to let us live here and live in the townhouse in London until the manor is finished.” 

“How long will that be?” she asked. 

“Maybe another year or two,” Steve replied. “It’s not like we can make the workers work faster, after all. They’re already working as fast as they can.” 

“At least your part of the house isn’t drafty,” she said. “I’ve seen some of the other houses people live in. They call it a home, but the houses don’t have roofs and the place is practically falling apart around them.” 

“Well, I don’t think that will be an issue for us,” Steve said. “Uncle Howard is probably one of the richest men in all Great Britain, if not the richest man.”

“Well, at least if you never find an alpha to marry, you’ll still live a comfortable life,” Peggy said. 

“Honestly, part of me would rather become a priest,” Steve said. “At least the gods wouldn’t expect me to get married, then.” 

“I think you would be bored as hell as a priest,” Peggy said. “I mean, you wouldn’t be able to just do whatever you want, you’d have to study theology, help people make offerings, oversee oaths, conduct auguries, and teach people about whatever god or gods you devote yourself to. And that’s just the beginning.” 

“Oh right, didn’t one of your brothers become a devotee of Poseidon a couple years ago?” Steve asked. 

“Yes, and he wrote to me extensively about what it was like,” she said. “It’s apparently not nearly as glamorous as the high priests make it seem.” 

“What would that mean, anyway?” Steve asked. “Like, did he have to go sailing or something?” 

“He had to spend at least a year on a Navy vessel serving as a chaplain to ensure that Poseidon was appeased with them,” she said. “Then when he returned, he had to spend another year serving in a temple in a port town studying the scriptures and devoting himself to serving the people, and praying on their behalf to Poseidon. Only after all that was he allowed to be initiated as a priest.” 

“Sounds hard,” Steve said. 

“Yeah, so unless you know of a god who would be okay with you doing whatever you want for years, I don’t think it would be the life for you,” she replied. 

“It was worth considering, at least,” he sighed. 

“Listen, I think it might be best for you to just try and make the most of it,” she said. “Your Uncle could’ve just sent a letter saying that he had arranged for you to marry someone you had never met. If he’s telling you in person that might mean that you’d have the opportunity to back out if you really didn’t like whoever he has in mind.” 

Steve sighed again and looked up to the sky. He had never really devoted himself to the teachings of any particular god. He never felt the need to. His family was decently religious, but not extremely so. Officially, the family was devoted to Hermes and Hephaestus, since Howard, the head of the family, was a merchant and an inventor. 

Most families were devoted to one or two particular gods. Zeus, Poseidon, and Ares were fairly common among the nobility. Those in government tended to devote themselves to Zeus, since he was King of the gods. If a family had many navy connections, they might devote themselves to Poseidon in the hopes of calm waves and luck in combat. Ares was common among many families with soldiers and officers in them, to grant them glory in battle. 

Commoners had some overlap, but they were more likely to pray to Demeter or Dionysus in the hopes of a good harvest. Athena and Hestia were common among people who worked in textiles or who worked out of the home making goods to trade. 

Steve hadn’t felt particularly drawn towards any of them. He enjoyed embroidery and studying, yes, but he didn’t feel any particular need to pray to Athena while he was doing them. He enjoyed nature and animals, but he didn’t feel a strong connection to Artemis. Even the classic goddess of omegas, Aphrodite, didn’t draw him that much. He’d tried, in his younger years, when he was reading Jane Austen books and daydreaming of handsome, taciturn alphas to fall in love with. 

The gods, it seemed, were not inclined to listen to his prayers. Steve wasn’t that religious to begin with, but there was a part of him that wondered what it was like to be one of those people who felt a more instinctual connection with their gods. When he was young, he heard a story about a local omega boy who had run away from home to become a god-spouse, someone who pledged a life of chastity in service to their god. In that particular case, the god in question was Ares. Steve always wondered how someone knew that was what they wanted. 

Regardless, Peggy was right. There were probably few places Steve could go to escape marriage and live life as he pleased. The priesthood certainly would have their own set of expectations that Steve would find issues with. 

“Maybe you’re right,” he finally conceded. “I should just learn to make the best of it.” 

“If it’s any consolation, I would give anything to be in your shoes,” Peggy said. “As long as it is what I think it is.” 

Steve laughed at that in spite of the fact that he was dreading meeting his uncle. He laughed so hard that his horse nickered in surprise and Steve reached down to pat his neck. The horse, Mercury, was a speckled grey gelding. He was another gift from Howard that Steve suspected was so Steve would learn how to ride properly. Steve didn’t mind. He loved riding and Mercury, despite the source of his name, was a very calm, slow horse. He was very easy to ride. 

“Well, if my dear uncle does plan to marry me off to a political ally, I promise to help find you a match for yourself,” Steve said. 

“I’ll hold you to that” she replied.

* * *

Despite the fact that Howard wanted to speak to him privately before dinner, Steve arrived home a couple hours later. There was, thankfully, no sign of him yet, so Steve took the opportunity to tend to his horse. He brushed the gelding’s fur and mane before moving on to the tail. Next he cleaned dirt out of Mercury’s hooves and mucked the stall before he delivered a bundle of hay and some oats. He also managed to steal an apple from the kitchens and Mercury ate it before nuzzling his hand. 

“I don’t have any more,” Steve cooed at his horse. Mercury just stared at him and kept nuzzling him. Steve laughed as he stroked the horse’s face. “I’m serious, I don’t have any more.” 

Apparently disappointed, Mercury returned to eating his oats. Steve gave one final pet to the horse’s neck before he turned and walked out of the stable. He went upstairs, stripped out of his clothes, and stepped into a warm bath. He sighed and relaxed in the large copper tub before he grabbed a bar of soap and began cleaning the grime from his body. 

Once he decided he was suitably clean, he took his favorite shampoo, which Howard had ingeniously imported from India, and set about washing his hair. The shampoo smelled like hibiscus and Steve found that he quite liked the feeling of feeling clean and smelling that way, too. London, for all the opportunity it presented, had the most horrendous smell he’d ever experienced. 

He sighed once more before he rinsed his hair off and got out of the now lukewarm water. He dried himself off and dressed himself in something appropriate for dinner. Assuming Howard would arrive in time for such, it would probably be best to dress accordingly. 

He stepped out of his room, freshly groomed and feeling just a bit more ready to hear whatever it was Howard had to say. As he walked down the stairs, he heard voices from the drawing room. 

“This is wonderful news, but are you sure he’s going to go along with it?” said one voice. Aunt May. So she knew what the news was already. That meant that while Howard wanted to speak to him in private, the news would be anything but. 

“I’m not sure this is the sort of thing someone rejects,” came another voice. It sounded like Maria, Howard’s beta wife. “”Can you imagine saying no to that kind of thing, after all?” 

“The kid’s going to have to get used to the idea,” came a third voice. Howard. “He hasn’t seemed all that keen on anyone else, so unless there’s someone here in Newcastle, but the odds of that seem… slim.”

“No, there’s no one,” his mother replied. “In fact, Steve hasn’t been one to pay much attention at all to alphas. He’s too busy spending time in nature or in his studies. He takes after his father.” 

“Probably should’ve curbed that a little when he was younger,” Howard said. “Omegas who can’t dance, sew, paint, or play music are surprisingly difficult to find a match for.” 

That hurt. Steve felt the words hit him in the chest like a cannonball. Howard had always encouraged him to follow his passions, to learn as much as he could. What had changed? Even during the London seasons, he’d never suggested that Steve behave more like a typical omega noble. 

“Howard, you know that Steve can do all those things,” Maria chided. “Steve’s interest in other subjects doesn’t make him less accomplished than his peers.” 

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Howard said. “But it has made it difficult to persuade a match.” 

“But you do have someone,” his mother said. “That’s why you came all this way.” 

“Yes, he is potentially interested,” Howard replied. “It would be hard to find a more powerful, influential alpha. Certainly not one who just fell into our laps like this.” 

“Is he a good man, though?” his mother asked. “That’s all I really want to know. I’ve been raising him myself for several years now. All I want to know is that this man you have in mind will be decent to him. You know the stories.”

“I have no doubt about that,” Howard said. “He’s a close friend of mine. He’s a bit, well, intense, but that’s just part of his charm.” 

There was silence for a while. Steve took a deep breath and stayed where he was. If they were going to keep talking about him and whoever this suitor was, he might as well hear as much as he could before Howard decided to tell him. 

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” his mother said. “But this one is the best offer he’s received.” 

“By far. There’s no one in all Great Britain who could give what this man will give Steve,” Howard said. “You’d have to leave. Maybe go to Italy. Probably France, or maybe even Russia. There are few men who could measure up.” 

“Very well, if Steve consents to the union, I will give my blessing,” his mother said. “Will they at least have the chance to meet before he makes that decision?” 

“We can arrange something,” Maria replied. “Don’t, Howard, it’s a reasonable request. It would hardly be the strangest thing in the world. Let him at least have a chance to see if he likes the man before he decides whether he wants to spend the rest of his life with him.” 

“Yeah, okay, you have a point,” Howard said. “He’s a busy guy, though.” 

“We’re all busy,” his mother said. “Except for the King. I hear he’s gone to another excursion in Russia.” 

“If by excursion, you mean he’s racking up debt gambling with another sovereign,” Howard said.

That was that. They seemed to have moved on from the topic. Steve waited another minute or two before he moved out of the shadows and continued down the stairs. He walked into the room just as they were discussing the King’s habit of collecting debt. 

“Where’s he gone now?” he asked. 

“Steve! How are you, my boy?” Howard cheered. He got up and clapped Steve on the shoulder. Steve held back a grimace. He still wasn’t sure about what he’d heard and aside from that, Howard wasn’t the easiest person in the world to read. 

“I’m fine. I’m enjoying the fresh air again,” Steve replied. 

“Oh yeah, I hear that’s all the rage among country folk,” Howard said. “You mean to say you don’t like the smell of the Thames or the coal and charcoal in the city?” 

“They’re… not my favorite smells in the world,” Steve replied. 

“Stop teasing, Howard,” Maria said as she got up to embrace Steve. “You know that you’ll enjoy escaping the smell of London once the manor is complete.” 

“True enough,” Howard said. “How long is it until dinner? I’d like a word in private.” 

“There should be time,” his mother said. “It probably won’t be for another hour yet.” 

“Great,” Howard said, slinging an arm around Steve’s shoulders. “What do you say, kid? Why don’t we chat about that news I mentioned before we go to dinner?”

“Uh… I suppose that’s okay,” Steve replied. He didn’t have much choice but to let Howard guide him out of the drawing room and into the library. He really didn’t want to be this close to Howard. For one thing, his uncle still smelled like London. It was disgusting. If it were in his power to make Howard bathe before dinner, he would do it happily. As it was, he stepped away quickly from Howard’s grasp as soon as they were through the doors. 

“So… how—how have you been?” Howard said with forced casualness. 

“Fine, considering the cryptic nature of your arrival,” Steve replied dryly. “You don’t usually leave London unless it’s for something important.” 

“Which, this is, as it happens. Big, big news,” Howard said. 

“So what is it?” Steve asked. “The news?”

“Oh, just going to dive right in, huh?” Howard replied. “Yeah, that makes sense. I think you’re aware that… people like you… can’t inherit.” 

“Omegas,” Steve replied. He struggled to hide his annoyance at Howard’s roundabout approach to the conversation. “And yes, I have been made abundantly aware.” 

“Right, so, that means that I, as the head of the family, have the, uh, responsibility to arrange for you to be… taken care of,” Howard said. 

“You’re talking about marriage,” Steve replied. “I can’t imagine who it might be. I never met most of the alphas you introduced me to more than once or twice.” 

“You haven’t met this one… yet,” Howard said. “But he has approached me to tell me that he’s interested.” 

Steve paused. It was… strange, to say the least. “An alpha I’ve never met is interested in me?” he asked. “How?” 

“He is a… potential ally,” Howard said. “He hasn’t made an offer, but he has expressed that he would be interested in negotiating a deal.” 

A deal. Negotiation. An offer. Suddenly, Steve felt like a prized pig at market being auctioned off to a crowd of faceless strangers. He struggled to remember Peggy’s advice as his heartbeat quickened and he scowled at his uncle. 

“How could you possibly think that I would agree to this?” he demanded. “Is that all I am? Another good to be traded?” 

“Steve, you know that’s not what I meant by this,” Howard said. “Calm down and think rationally.” 

“No! That’s my answer!” Steve cried. “I don’t care who this man is, I don’t want to meet him!” 

He walked briskly to the doors and threw them open as he stormed off. He passed his mother and Maria in the drawing room who seemed startled by his reaction. He didn’t stop. He jogged back up the stairs. 

“Steve! What’s wrong, what did he tell you?” his mother called after him. 

“I’m taking dinner in my room,” he replied. “I don’t want to hear anything more about this.” 

He slammed the door to his room shut and locked it for good measure. He had the only key to his suite, so no one else could get in. He slumped to the floor, curled into a ball with his face on his knees and his arms crossed. Lizzie arrived shortly after to lick at the tears that were streaming down his face. 

“It was worse than I thought, Lizzie,” he said. “I hate this. I hate everything.”

* * *

Dinner did, in fact, arrive about an hour later. Steve unlocked the door long enough for the servant to enter his room and leave. He didn’t pay much attention to the food. He took a few bites of each and fed the rest to Lizzie. She certainly didn’t mind having more food. 

“I wish I was like you, girl,” he said. “You have everything you could want. You have good people to take care of you, you have plenty of food, you get to sleep in a bed, and you never have to worry about being pawned off or anything.” 

She ignored him as she went about licking the plate clean of whatever was left on it. He didn’t much mind. He reached over to the nightstand to get the book he was reading but stopped when he realized it was a Jane Austen novel. After everything that had happened, he wasn’t much in the mood to read a love story. 

He got up and went over to his own private study where he had a couple bookshelves of his own. He scanned the shelves until he got to a book on science. He took it down from the shelf and placed the Jane Austen novel back. He had read it countless times already. This book was one he had been meaning to read for some time. It was about the observations one scientist had on the plants in his area. 

He took it down and went to the bed. He flipped through the pages, taking mental notes of what kinds of trees and other plants the writer mentioned. He wanted to go out and find plants the two of them had in common and see if he could find the same things the writer pointed out. Some writers made fantastical claims that Steve couldn’t verify. On more than one occasion, he had debated writing them to inform them, but stopped when he remembered how his application to Oxford had been received. 

He hoped that it wasn’t the case with this book. Some people made ridiculous claims about what they observed in nature. Once, he had read a book that claimed a thunderstorm in winter would cause the crops in the area where the storm occurred to be cursed by Zeus and that eating them would lead to a plague on the area. Why he had made such a claim, Steve had no idea. It wasn’t as though the book was circulated among commoners. 

It was nearly midnight before someone came knocking at his door. Steve was so engrossed in the book that he actually jumped. Lizzie started barking at the door as she jumped off the bed, onto the dresser at the foot, and then onto the floor. Steve jumped up and put his plate on the tray before he answered the door. 

“Who is it?” he asked. 

“It’s just me, Steve,” Maria replied. “You can call off your dog.” 

Steve shushed Lizzie and she stopped barking. He opened the door and looked out. 

“Can I help you, Aunt Maria?” he asked. 

“I was just checking in on you,” she said. “That idiot told me what he said to you. I can imagine why you were upset after he said something so tactless.”

Steve relaxed a fraction. “Yeah, it wasn’t exactly encouraging,” he said. 

“Which is why I’ve come to see you,” she said. “I might be able to make a better case for seeing this man.” 

“Is someone going to tell me who this guy is or do I have to wait to meet him before I find out?” Steve asked. 

“He prefers to keep his public life public, and his private life as private as possible,” she replied. “He’s a good man, he’s just… more concerned than most about what people know of him.” 

“Sounds a little paranoid,” Steve said. 

“Perhaps,” she said. “Anyway, what Howard said isn’t wrong. He is looking to form an alliance with this man, but that’s not all there is to it.” 

“What else could there be?” Steve asked. “If I’m being traded for favors, why do we have to pretend that this is anything else?” 

“Because you’re not just being traded for favors,” Maria replied. “Howard hasn’t told you, but you made quite a stir this past season. Some of it is thanks to your friend, Peggy, but much of it is your doing as well.” 

“Me? How?” Steve asked. 

“There aren’t so many omegas among the nobility as you would think,” Maria said. “Some nobles have approached Howard for that reason alone. However, this man is different.” 

“Howard said I haven’t met him,” Steve said. 

“No, but he has heard of you,” Maria said. “A bright young omega, discussing the merits of science, mathematics, philosophy, and other areas typically deemed too complicated for your designation. You left quite an impression, and this alpha is impressed.” 

Steve blinked. People were talking about him? People liked him?

“People are impressed that you held you own so effectively against alphas and betas who had received a more formal education on the subject,” Maria said. “That’s what attracts this man to you. The fact that you are a relative of someone who could be a potential ally in his goals is more icing on the proverbial cake.”

Steve thought about it for a moment. The way Maria presented it did seem a great deal better than how Howard had gone about it. It actually sounded like she cared about his feelings, for one thing. It also didn’t make the alpha sound like an opportunistic lecher. 

“I’ll think about it, okay?” he replied. “How long will the two of you be here?” 

“We’ll be here for the next week, at least,” Maria replied. “Howard has this big idea to host a party here for your uncle’s birthday next month.” 

Steve suppressed a groan at the thought. “I’ll have an answer to you before you leave, then,” he said. 

“Take your time,” she said. “This is your future. You’re right to be careful.” 

With that, she walked down the hall towards the part of the manor that housed the married members. Steve closed the door behind her and turned back to the room.

“I don’t know what to make of all this,” he said to Lizzie. She just looked up at him and yawned. “You’re right, I’ll sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning.” 

He picked her up and put her on the bed before he dressed in his night clothes. He crawled into bed and hugged his loyal corgi tight before he drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all!
> 
> Come follow me on [tumblr](https://leisurelypanda.tumblr.com/) for various fandom related nonsense! <3


	3. Chapter 3

Steve stood in the middle of a strange field. It wasn’t that the field itself was particularly odd, just that he was fairly sure that he had never seen it before. Steve had a good mind for remembering places he had been to and while Newcastle was full of its own natural beauty, he had never seen a lush meadow like this anywhere near him. 

He looked around at the meadow he stood in. There were wildflowers everywhere in beautiful pastel colors. Pinks and purples, whites and blues, yellows and reds. They were all there, mingling with each other in a vibrant display of beauty. Steve reached for a journal he always carried with him, to try and sketch some of the flowers so he could identify them later. When his hand arrived at his hip, however, he realized he was naked. 

He looked down in shock at his body. He was completely bare in the light of day! What if someone were to see him like this? His reputation would be ruined forever as a man ungoverned by social laws of decency and modesty. The stain would follow him for the rest of his life, surely. 

He knelt in the hope that the flowers would hide him. He got the distinct impression that someone was laughing at him. It was hardly the most ridiculous thing. If anyone had seen him, they probably would laugh at someone foolish enough to wake up in a strange field with not a strip of clothing on. He could only hope that they didn’t recognize him and that he could figure out a way to get back to the manor without being seen. 

He looked around until he saw what looked like a path. It was overgrown with the flowers, but there was the distinct impression in the earth of a plain dirt path that had been tread recently. It was the only hope that Steve could see, so he began to crawl along it. 

It was the least dignified thing he’d ever done, but only because he was naked. If he was clothed, he would have absolutely gotten on his hands and knees to get a better look at the plants. Alas, he was not, and the only thing that he really cared about at the moment was ensuring that he wouldn’t get caught in the rain or something. 

The field gave way to a forest and Steve jogged in. He ducked behind a tree before anyone who might be there could see him. He looked down at the path and saw that it continued further into the forest. 

It was a strange forest. Not the sort that existed in Newcastle. Steve didn’t recognize the trees and it was much darker than any of the forests Steve had seen near his home. He looked at the path with greater hesitancy. What if it wasn’t going where he had hoped it would go? He could be lost forever. 

_Steven…_

He jerked around. That was a voice. Someone was here. He hid behind a tree again and prayed to whatever god was listening that they would go away. A few minutes later, he opened his eyes and looked back at the path. 

_Steven…_

* * *

Steve bolted straight up in bed gasping for breath. Lizzie stirred next to him, but he hardly noticed her. He checked his body frantically and sighed with relief as he realized that he was, in fact, still clothed. He slumped against the pillows beneath him and sighed again. 

The room was still dark. There was the barest hint of moonlight streaming in through the window. He could see the room he slept in, the furnishings and outlines of his bed. It was nothing like that strange meadow. It had felt so real. He could feel the warmth of the sun on his face and the softness of the plants as he brushed past them and smell their scent as though he had actually been there. 

It was the strangest thing he had ever experienced. 

He got up and lit a candle. He was much too wound up to sleep anymore. He could always take a nap later in the day if he grew tired. He got dressed and put on a pair of slippers. Lizzie jumped off the bed and followed him as he went down the stairs to the library. 

Whatever the time was, it was apparently too early for the servants to have lit the fires. That wasn’t surprising, necessarily, but Steve had never gotten up this early in his life. He wouldn’t take long, either. He just needed to find a couple books. He scanned the shelves carefully in the dim light of the candle until he found what he was looking for. 

_On Dreams, Visions, and Portents_ , by one Harold McGivern. He was a devotee of a fairly obscure god, Morpheus, but his book was widely regarded as the best authority on strange dreams and what they could mean. Steve had never read it himself, but the topic was of mild curiosity to him. He opened the book and went to the table of contents. There was, unfortunately, no way of knowing which chapter of the book would directly apply to his experience, but Steve felt confident that what he had seen was not a portent. 

He closed the book and tucked it under his arm. He kept scanning the shelves until he found another book: _Common Wildflowers of the British Countryside_ , by someone named Geoffrey Crosse. Steve took that one off the shelf, as well. In the event that it was an actual place (assuming it was in Britain), it might be helpful to get an understanding of where. 

He snuck out of the room and back up the stairs with Lizzie padding along beside him. He closed the door and locked it again before he sat down on the couch in his quarters. Lizzie jumped up beside him and settled in against his thigh. Steve scratched behind her ears before he picked up the book on dreaming. 

He managed to get about 10 pages in before his eyes started drooping again. The book was completely dull. He had so far spent more time talking about what it was like to follow Morpheus than about actual dreams. It was almost like the writer was using the book as a way to persuade more people to follow his god. There were some people who felt so strongly about their gods that they took it upon themselves to expand their influence. 

At any rate, the book was more apt to make him fall asleep again than to provide anything in the way of answers. How someone could make the subject of dreaming so boring, Steve couldn’t understand. One would think that something so universal could at least be presented as interesting. 

He closed the book and put it on the table next to him. It was disappointing, to say the least. The book had to be several hundred pages long, but if it was all going to be as boring as that, it would likely take him months to get through it. Who even knew if he would remember the dream for that long?

He picked up the book about wildflowers, but even now, the details of what he had seen were fading from his memory. There were only a few hazy impressions left and certainly not enough to recognize a flower he had only seen in a dream. He sighed and put that book on top of the first. 

“I guess it was too much to hope for,” he said as he pet Lizzie. “Might as well go back to bed now.” 

Lizzie made no protest as he put her back on the bed. He got out of his clothes and donned his night clothes once again before he crawled back into bed. Sleep came much less readily this time.

* * *

The next time he woke up, it was nearly 10:00, judging from the position of the sun in the sky. Steve yawned and crawled out of bed. He didn’t have a butler or anything like that to dress him, so he usually just did it himself. The downside was that he relied mostly on his own circadian rhythm to wake up and sometimes, like last night, it was thrown a little bit off. 

He redressed himself in the clothes he’d worn early this morning and trudged down the stairs. He entered the dining room, where most of the rest of his family was already up and helping themselves to a hot English breakfast. 

“We were wondering if we would have to send someone to wake you up,” his mother said. “How are you feeling this morning?” 

“Better, thank you, mother,” Steve replied. 

He piled his plate high with toast, sausage, potatoes, tomatoes, and mushrooms. He didn’t care for black pudding or beans, but the rest was good as far as he was concerned. He sat down at the table and a servant poured him a cup of tea. Steve put a little cream in it before he brought it to his lips. 

“I should hope so, considering how long you’ve been asleep,” she replied. “It’s not like you to sleep in so late, I’m sure Lady Carter will be surprised that you are late to see her.” 

“We don’t see each other every day,” Steve replied. “I thought I would stay in today and catch up on my reading.” 

“Very well,” she said. 

“What are you studying these days, Steve?” Maria asked. He was relieved that she didn’t bring up their conversation. It was something to be grateful for, at the very least. 

“I thought I would take up horticulture,” Steve replied. “I think it would be wonderful if we could have some glass houses so we could grow flowers year round.” 

“I think that would be a marvelous idea,” she replied with a smile. “Certainly an omega would be best suited to tending to flowers. They require such particular attention.” 

Steve wasn’t sure what being an omega had to do with paying “particular attention” to flowers. To be honest, he hadn’t the slightest interest in selling them, but in study. The only way he could do that was if he had a way of observing them year round. There were, indeed, some flowers that required much more effort than others, but that didn’t mean that he needed to be an omega in order to devote that kind of time. 

Instead of replying, he took another sip of his tea. Assuming that he was still around when the manor was complete, he would surely have more time to tend to his studies. Hopefully. 

“Where is Uncle Howard, aunt?” Steve asked. 

“He had an idea for a new invention and has been working on it all night,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “He will surely be too preoccupied with it over the next few days, so you will likely not see him much.” 

“I see,” he replied. He struggled to hide the relief he felt at the news. Howard might be a charmer where politicians and business partners were concerned, but when it came to his own family, he could be thoughtless and callus. Steve tended to prefer his company in smaller doses. “How is Cousin Tony?”

Maria beamed at the mention of her son. “He’s doing so well. I hate to be away from him. He’s very bright for his age and he takes after Howard so much,” she replied. 

“Well that’s good to hear,” Steve said. “I’m sure he will grow into a fine man.” 

“Thank you, Steve,” she replied. “He asks after you often. I think he misses your company in London.” 

“Give him my love when you return,” Steve said with a smile. “I told him not to make trouble for you while I was away.” 

“That didn’t last long,” Maria said with a light laugh. “He’s a precocious boy. Why, just two weeks ago he walked right up to one of his father’s business partners and talking to him about a new invention that he was working on and the potential profits it could bring.” 

Steve and his mother laughed at the thought of that. Tony was certainly a bold child without shame or true understanding of his place in the world. Steve could certainly see how he took after Howard. As much as Tony enjoyed spending time with Steve, Steve knew that the boy idolized his father. It was normal, of course, for an alpha boy to admire his father. 

Steve’s father had been an alpha himself. At least, from what he heard. His father died in the Battle of Waterloo against Napoleon in 1815 a month before Steve was born. Steve could hardly imagine what that must have been like for his mother, to be in mourning as she cared for her only son. She was an omega, too, so the severing of a mating bond during her pregnancy would have been horrible. To this day, she had given no thought of remarrying and dressed in black in remembrance of her late husband. 

Steve often wondered how his father, a decorated officer and alpha, would have reacted to having an omega son. In all likelihood, had he survived, Steve would have had siblings and one of them would have been an alpha. What it would mean for Steve himself, he had no idea, but he liked to imagine that his father would be proud of him, as his mother said he would be. 

The rest of brunch passed pleasantly until Steve rose to seek out a place in the gardens to read. He fed the scraps of his meal to Lizzie and grabbed the book before he left. He found a bench outside where he could both look at the garden and observe the construction. The unfinished areas of the home were blocked off, but the people who built it stayed out of their way unless they needed to discuss something with his mother. 

Aside from the occasional draft that came from living in home that was only partly finished, it was a pleasant enough experience. At least they had had the sense to close off the home from the unfinished parts so that they wouldn’t have to worry about catching a cold in the winter. The home that Steve and his mother lived in had been part of the family for years, but Howard decided to renovate it when he became head of the family. What was being built was more or less an extensive extension of what had been there already. 

Steve began to read his book under the shade of an old willow tree. Some of the information was familiar. Some of it was new. Steve often wondered what it would be like to travel the world like and discover new plants and animals to study. It would probably take an entire lifetime just to study the plants in Europe, let alone places like North America, South America, Africa, and everywhere else. 

A few hours into his reading, he heard someone clear their throat. He looked up to see Peggy looking down at him in amusement. 

“What’s so funny?” he asked. 

“Oh, just that I’ve been standing here for about 10 minutes and you hadn’t even noticed my presence,” she replied with a warm smile. “I assume it’s a scientific book.” 

“You assume correctly,” Steve said. 

“I might have known. How was your talk with Howard last night?” she asked. Steve groaned and Peggy’s eyebrows rose. “It went that well?” 

Steve explained what happened, from how Howard explained the situation to how Maria had explained to him later. 

“So you have a mysterious interested party who refuses to name himself who is apparently a friend or at least an associate of your uncle,” Peggy said. “The gods have mercy, but this is a conundrum.”

“I thought you would be pleased for me and pushing me to accept the proposal,” Steve said. 

“Don’t be silly,” she replied. “You should at least meet someone before you agree to marry them.” 

“I didn’t expect you to be so reasonable,” Steve teased. She slapped his shoulder for that and they laughed. 

“It is odd, though,” she continued. “What kind of alpha does not wish for his interest in an omega to be known?” 

“Maybe he’s shy?” Steve suggested. 

“Can you honestly see someone who’s a friend of Howard’s being shy?” she asked. 

“I assume my uncle would be willing to do business with anyone who offered him some kind of economic advantage,” Steve replied. “Within reason.” 

“True enough. He is fairly new, even if he has inherited your late father’s title,” she said. “A generation ago, his family were small merchants in London. “

“You really think he would be willing to marry me to someone just for an advantage?” Steve asked. 

“No, not really,” she replied. “But I think the situation warrants caution.” 

“I have until the end of the week to give my answer,” Steve said. “Even so, it wouldn’t hurt to at least agree to meet him, especially if he’s the one coming here.” 

“Indeed, and if you do agree to that, I will be happy to serve as your companion for the evening,” she said. “You hardly ever get to have parties here, anyway. It might be a nice change to have a small affair.” 

“As long as it stays small,” Steve replied. “I have no desire to explain to a host of noble lords that our family lives in a house that isn’t even finished.” 

“This time next year it will be complete,” she said. “Imagine what it will look like then.”

* * *

The week passed with relative calm, which was much more than Steve had come to expect with Howard around. Howard was eccentric and tended to bustle about with half a dozen ideas jumbled together in his brain. He hosted countless parties and none of them ever seemed tame. If anything, his parties were always a little on the wild side, with plenty of music and noise and carousing to go along with the constant chatter.

Instead, the days were mostly quiet, with slightly more company at the dinner table than usual. Peggy and her family often dined with them, since they were the Rogers family’s closest neighbors. They were a lively bunch, and Howard’s presence made them even more so as the alphas of both families started showing off in an attempt to intimidate each other. 

Needless to say, Steve and the other omegas decided to bow out before things got too heated. 

As the week dragged on, Steve’s interactions with Howard became more and more tense. Howard always seemed to be expecting Steve’s answer and Steve was never inclined to give it. No matter what Howard thought of whatever advantages that might present themselves from this union, Steve was adamant. 

If he had to marry, he might as well benefit from it. Howard would be well off whether or not Steve himself agreed to the union. Steve’s entire future, however, was dependent on that choice.

Peggy became his constant companion and chaperone. Steve was glad for her company, as ever. Still, she couldn’t keep him from making the choice. Howard likely would find some reason to stay until Steve made it. 

“I think I’m going to agree to meet him,” Steve said the following Thursday. 

They were sitting by a nearby lake with Steve’s head in her lap while she painted the scenery. It was a beautiful day for such things. The oppressive heat of summer was beginning to recede as September rolled on to its inevitable end. Autumn was one of Steve’s favorite times of year, both for the vibrant colors and for the cooler weather. He could go outside without it feeling like he was going to sweat through his layers of clothes. As he said the words, Peggy hummed in consideration. She was focusing on the blue of the sky at the moment. 

“As long as it’s just a meeting, I support this decision,” Peggy said when she paused to apply more paint to her brush. “An advantageous union should be mutually beneficial.” 

“Well of course,” Steve replied. “Who knows? Maybe he’ll bring some friends that you can meet for your own advantage.” 

“That would be ideal, but the immediate concern is whether this man is good for you,” she replied. “We can worry about his friends as soon as we know what his exact intentions are for you and what it is about you that would benefit him.”

“You always have a plan,” he said. 

“Plans give a degree of safety,” she replied. “In the event that the worst should happen, the worst thing to be is caught unawares.” 

“Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, then?” Steve asked. 

“Exactly,” she replied. “I would rather you and I become paupers than for you and I to be wealthy and miserable and married to alphas we can’t escape.” 

It was a grim outlook, but a practical one. Whatever could be said about Peggy, she always achieved what she set out to accomplish. 

“So do you have a plan?” Steve asked. She looked down at him with a smile. 

“I thought you would never ask, darling,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all!
> 
> Come follow me on [tumblr](https://leisurelypanda.tumblr.com/) for various fandom related nonsense! <3


	4. Chapter 4

A month later, Steve was frantic. Howard hadn’t left once he heard Steve agreed to meet this mysterious alpha, much to Steve’s disappointment. He had hoped for a return to normalcy, but instead, Howard essentially took over everything. Despite the fact that the house ran perfectly fine under the eye of two omegas, he insisted in being involved in every single detail of the house’s management. 

In all honesty, he was much better at managing business than running a home. Footmen, butlers, maids, servants, and kitchen staff didn’t operate on standards of economy, after all. They had a system for how they did things and when. Howard seemed determined to upend the whole thing. 

First, he insisted on observing each task. Steve decided to stay well out of the way for the duration of the debacle. Their head butler and head maid tried to dissuade him, but Howard was not one to listen when he had his mind set on something. 

Thankfully, it lasted only a few days. When his personal butler, Edwin Jarvis, arrived with his own staff and young Tony in tow, he managed to persuade the Howard to leave the servants be. If nothing else, it made dinner slightly less tense. 

“I have a new product in mind that will revolutionize the concept of sanitation,” Howard announced at the dinner table one evening. Steve made a conscious effort not to roll his eyes. Only Howard Stark would be so tactless as to bring up something like sanitation at the dinner table. “It’s called a water closet! You use it the way you would a chamber pot, but then it uses water to flush it all away!” 

No one said anything for a moment. Steve tried very hard to focus on his pheasant. It was freshly hunted and juicy and not at all the sort of thing he would want to eat if the subject of sanitation was up for discussion. Their own house hold used a great deal of soap, courtesy of Howard’s lucrative trade with India, so they were already cleaner than most families. 

“I found records of one being made my Sir John Harington,” he continued. “The godson of Queen Elizabeth. I intend to see that they become popularized.” 

“Really, darling, is such discussion really appropriate for the dinner table?” Maria asked. 

“I don’t see why not?” Howard replied. “If the subject may be discussed in one location, why not another?” 

“Perhaps it is not something one would find palatable,” Steve’s mother replied dryly. Steve took a sip of wine to hide his smile. 

“Very well then,” Howard said. “I’m suppose the delicate sensibilities of the fairer designation might find such subjects unpleasant.” 

Steve did roll his eyes at that. It wasn’t as though he had never shied away from dirt and grime to study something of interest to him. He just didn’t make a habit of doing so during dinner. 

“I read something fascinating in Geoffrey Crosse’s book,” Steve said. “Apparently, asphodel does not grow well in Great Britain due to the wet climate. He thinks it is a reflection of the fact that certain chthonic gods are not popular for worship.” 

“Does he now?” Howard replied. “It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that they are often bad luck?” 

“Eating food offered to them is bad luck,” Steve replied. “As is taking offerings from any other god.”

“You would do well to focus your attentions on more practical gods, Steve,” Howard said. “What use do we have for the gods of the earth?” 

“Considering no one has invented a way of finding food from some other source, I’m sure there’s something,” Steve replied. “And Hermes is one of them, isn’t he? He does guide souls to the underworld, after all.” 

“That is not his only, or even primary, function,” Howard said. “He is the god of travelers.” 

“And merchants,” Steve said. 

“We are not farmers who rely on such gods for our livelihood,” Howard said sternly. 

“No, you rely on other gods for that,” Steve countered. “Why does it matter to you what I think about other gods?” 

“As long as you live under my roof—”

“You mean _my_ roof,” Steve replied darkly. “You inherited this place under a technicality, nothing more. You aren’t a part of the Rogers family.”

“As soon as you’re married, there won’t be a Rogers family anymore,” Howard growled menacingly. “You were supposed to be the hope for your line, but you turned out to be an omega, so now a great, ancient House will cease to be and someone else has already laid claim to it.” 

Steve stood up abruptly and glared down at Howard. Howard glared back up at him. Steve took was left of his wine and threw it in Howard’s face before he stormed out of the room. Howard roared in anger, but Steve didn’t bother to look back. He went up the stairs and locked himself in his suite. 

Lizzie was there waiting for him and he pet her before he walked past. He collected the book on wildflowers and sat down on his couch in front of the fireplace. It was cool enough now in the mornings and evenings to justify having one lit, and Steve found them cozy. Before he could settle in, however, there was a ferocious banging on his door. Lizzie began barking and growling in response. 

“Steven! Open this door, now!” Howard yelled. 

“Go away!” Steve replied. “I have nothing to say to you!” 

“Uppity brat! I am the head of the family!” 

“You’re an opportunistic man of low birth,” Steve said. “The only thing special about you is your wealth.” 

“Open this door right now!” Howard bellowed. “And shut that stupid mutt up!” 

“Get out of my house!” Steve shouted back. 

A moment later, there was a loud bang against the door, like Howard had tried to knock it down. Steve just laughed to himself. The door was solid mahogany, built during a time when the purity of noble omegas was of prime importance. It was heavy and sturdy enough that the thought of breaking it down would require at least two burly alphas. Howard, an alpha who hadn’t done a day of manual labor in his life, had no hope of doing so. 

The second time went about as well as the first. However, the third time was harder and when Howard made contact with the door, there was a faint crack heard on the other side followed by a pained whimper. Steve debated opening the door to see if Howard was all right, but it could also be a ruse. Besides, if the man had hurt himself doing something stupid, that had nothing to do with Steve. He returned his attention to his book and everything fell blessedly silent.

* * *

Steve rose early the next day. It was still two days until the party, which meant that he would have two more days to prepare. He had put in an order for a new suit for the party and he had to go into town to pick it up. Any excuse to get out of the house and away from Howard’s overbearing tyrannical rule. 

Thankfully, Howard had a tendency to sleep in until noon or to go to bed around that time. When Steve arrived downstairs for breakfast, the only other person awake was his mother. She sighed as he entered and handed him a cup of tea. 

“Howard nearly broke his shoulder trying to get that door open,” she said. “Smart thinking.” 

“He should know better than to try to force his way into an omega’s chambers,” Steve growled. “Honestly, why did we ever let him take over?” 

“Because he had the means to do so, and he tricked your father into naming him as the heir in the event that you turned out to be unable to inherit,” she replied. “I suspect that he would have leaned on me a great deal to become head of the family, and since I was both a new mother and freshly widowed, I was in no state to fight him.”

“He chose his moment well,” Steve said. 

“He did, indeed, and there’s nothing to be done about it except to make the most of it,” she said. “I doubt that he will ever achieve all his aims unless he finds an ally who sees past his many shortcomings.” 

“He seems popular in London,” Steve said. 

“The rich and powerful in London are fickle,” she said. “If he didn’t have money, many of them wouldn’t give him the time of day. As it is, alphas tend to be more lenient among their own kind.” 

Steve sighed. “I wish I didn’t have to marry one,” he said. 

“A great many things might be different if you didn’t,” she said. “But there’s no use in dwelling on such things. Hopefully the alpha he’s throwing at you is at least more tactful than Howard himself.” 

The rest of their breakfast passed in silence. Steve ate his fill since he had left in the middle of dinner last night. When he was done, his mother handed him a parcel containing fresh bread, cured meat, cheese, and dried fruit. 

“Going into town will take some time,” she said. “Have fun, my darling.” 

Steve smiled at his mother and she gathered him into her arms. He let himself scent her and his nerves calmed at it. He could smell the light, sweet scent of apples and lilac. Underneath it was a warmer, sharper smell of cinnamon and cloves. It was faint, though, like the last echo of a song through the rafters of a temple. It was his father’s scent, she said. Sometimes Steve tried to imagine what his father was like, judging from pictures and the varied accounts he’d heard over the years. He imagined a tall, proud man who was gentle and loving with his pups. He liked to imagine his father would be like that, anyway. 

“Mother?” he asked. 

“Yes, dear?” 

“Who did father worship?” he asked. She stepped back and studied him closely. 

“Why do you ask?” she asked. “Does this have something to do with what you and Howard were arguing about last night?” 

“I was just wondering,” Steve said. “I’ve never really heard about that side of him.” 

She looked away, as though trying to recall the man she had lost more than 20 years ago. After a moment of consideration, she returned her gaze to his face. 

“When he was a soldier, he worshiped Zeus and Ares,” she said. “However, he told me before he left to fight Napoleon for the second time that he was going to change that as soon as the war was over.” 

“Did he say who to?” Steve asked. She shook her head. 

“He didn’t, and he died in the war,” she said. “I often wonder if his new god would have protected him or if his old gods were angry to see him leave.” 

“Would they be?” Steve asked. 

“Many people change which gods they pray most to at some point in their lives,” she said. “I worshiped Aphrodite when I was a maiden, but after your father’s death, I started worshiping Hera and Hestia.”

“It’s just that I’ve… never really felt drawn to any of the gods,” Steve said. “I’ve tried, but I just don’t know.” 

“You’ll figure it out eventually, Steve,” she said. “There are plenty of people who pay only lip service to the gods they claim to worship. It’s better to be openly uncertain than to give them false worship.” 

Steve nodded in understanding, then collected his lunch, and left out the front door. Peggy was waiting for him with a carriage. She smiled and kissed his cheek as he stepped up into the carriage. 

“You seem like you’ve had better nights,” she said. “Is it the nerves leading up to the party or something else?” 

“Howard just reminded everyone that he was a man of inferior birth last night, that’s all,” Steve said. “He snubbed the earth gods while he was at it. Said they were for commoners and that we didn’t need to bother with them.”

“Steve, your uncle may be an ingenious businessman, but he can also be rather idiotic,” she sighed. “If he wasn’t so popular in London, I would find someone else to introduce me to potential matches.” 

“Well if this match ends up working out for me, I would be happy to take you under my wing,” he said with a cheeky smile. She rolled her eyes but smiled back. 

“By the gods, you will be insufferable if that happens,” she replied. “But still immensely preferable to Howard.” 

“I’m glad the bar has been set so low,” Steve chuckled. “I’ll refrain from insulting our designation, then.” 

“Enough talk of Howard,” she said. “I find that he ruins even the most pleasant mood.” 

“You’re right,” Steve said. He looked out the window of the carriage. “It is a beautiful day. Have you tried to paint the trees this year?”

* * *

The carriage ride took about 90 minutes before they arrived in town. Most people in London would probably consider it a quaint little village. Steve loved the town and the people in it, though. They were charming and polite and even though they were different in terms of station, Steve never felt that they resented him for it. 

The fact that they had spent a great deal of money some years ago to import food during a famine probably had something to do with that. At the time, it seemed like such a simple and obvious thing to do. His family had money to buy food and support the people, so they did. He had even helped distribute it. 

They remembered, though few ever brought it up anymore. At times, Steve would see children that he recognized from the famine running without a care in the world through the streets. They looked happy and well fed and that was all that really mattered. 

He and Peggy arrived around an hour before his scheduled appointment with the tailor, so they milled about in town, looking at the various shops. Many of the shops were associated with Howard, but not all of them. The town was fairly quiet at the moment, which wasn’t unusual, considering it was midday. It wasn’t market day and most people would be working. 

Newcastle was known for glassmaking and several artisans peddled their goods to the region at large. Steve himself had bought a few charming pieces on occasion, though he knew nothing about how good their craftsmanship was. The one who had blown the glass had made the birds seem almost lifelike, as though they could open their wings at any moment and take to the skies. Steve bought a selection of bluebirds and robins that he kept tucked away in a glass box where he could view them safely. 

From the looks of things, the glass blower who had made the birds was doing very well. Steve smiled as he took a discrete look at the wares through the store window. They were beautiful, but alas, not the reason he had come to town today. 

“I’m glad to see him doing so well,” Peggy said as she put her arm through Steve’s elbow. “Good artisans should be celebrated.” 

“Hopefully his children will keep the business open,” Steve said. “I would hate to return one day to find that it was gone.” 

“No one can say for certain,” she said. “Perhaps his children will make their own way in the world. Make new inventions and change the world.” 

“Let’s hope so,” Steve replied. “If for no other reason than because if Howard singlehandedly changes the world, he will never let anyone forget it.” 

“Maybe we could just have him thrown in Bedlam before that happens to save us all the headache,” Peggy chuckled. 

“We need powerful husbands before that can happen,” Steve replied. 

“All the more reason to find them,” Peggy declared. Steve laughed at that. They kept walking until they reached a construction site for something rather large. “What on earth are they building here?” 

“A factory of some sort,” Steve said. “For once, Howard isn’t the one building it.” 

“What on earth will they make there?” she asked. 

“I have no idea, but I would love to find out once it’s finished,” he said. 

They meandered around the town, walking through the parks and chatting away until it was time for his appointment. They walked through the doors of the shop Steve’s family had used for years to make all their clothes. The tailor smiled at him warmly and led them to sit while he fetched their orders. 

“If nothing else, I’ll have a new suit that I’ll be able to wear in the future,” Steve said. “If that’s all I get out of this party, then I’ll count that as a success.” 

“You set your sights so low,” Peggy chided. “But on this one occasion, I agree.”

“If you are trying to woo an alpha, then I am sure this suit will do the trick, my Lord,” the tailor said warmly. 

“I am not trying to woo an alpha, but I am considering whether I will be wooed,” Steve replied. 

He smiled as he looked at the neat dark coat. It was a fine evening suit, dark navy blue with a subtle floral design embroidered into the fabric. It was, from what Steve could tell, fashionable for omega men. Underneath the coat was a vest of the same color and a golden yellow undershirt. Lastly, the trousers had the same shade, but no embroidery. He went into a fitting room and allowed the tailor to dress him. When he emerged, Peggy clapped with approval as he spun around to show her the outfit. 

“I think this will do very nicely, whether I am wooed or not,” Steve said. 

“As it pleases you, my Lord, I do hope you are wooed at this party,” the tailor said. “It would be very good for business.” 

“I shall keep that in mind, sir,” Steve replied with a smile. “The suit is surely worth every penny.” 

Next was Peggy’s dress, which took considerably longer than Steve’s suit. Of course, beta and omega women were expected to wear corsets nearly all the time. Alpha women were more often seen in fine black suits and trousers with large hats. Her dress was a more vibrant crimson, the shade of the turning leaves in the surrounding area. The sleeves puffed slightly at the elbows, but thankfully stopped there, as opposed to the ridiculously enormous sleeves that had been popular since then. The dress cut off at the shoulders and the top of Peggy’s chest while the skirts went nearly all the way to the floor. 

It was a gorgeous, extravagant dress. 

“You look amazing,” he said. Peggy smiled. 

“Thank you, darling, I quite think so, too,” she said. 

“With any luck, all the alphas will be too busy looking at you to think about me,” Steve said. 

“I’m sure we will both find a way to get by if that happens,” she said with a smile. She went back into the changing room and spent another half an hour carefully getting out of the dress before she emerged in her old clothes. “I say this trip has been a great success.” 

“I’m so pleased to hear it, my Lady,” the tailor said. “Shall I send you the bill as usual?” 

“Of course,” she replied. “Thank you so much.” 

They stepped out of the shop and made their way back to the place where they had left the carriage with Peggy’s driver. As they were walking, they passed by an inn where there was a great racket occurring for so early in the day. Despite his better judgment, Steve stopped to look in just as they were passing by. There was a brawl, of all things. 

The door burst open and Peggy jumped back just in time before a small crowd of men burst out of the bar and into the street. A serving lady was among them and she fled towards them. 

“Go, get her to safety,” Steve said. Peggy nodded and took the maid’s arm as they fled in the other direction. Steve stepped in the path of an angry, belligerent, and clearly drunk beta. “Stop—”

The man punched him and Steve fell to the ground in a jumble. He scrambled to get up, but the man kicked him in the ribs. Steve groaned in pain as he staggered to his feet. If only he was an alpha… or if he had a pistol or saber, something to defend himself with.

“Hey! Pick on someone your own size!” came a new voice. The beta turned to the newcomer and swung. The man dodged easily and punched him across the face. This time, the beta went flying to the ground. The newcomer drew a pistol, cocked it, and pointed it at the beta. “I think it’s time for you to go home and sober up.” 

The beta fled, the scent of fresh piss staining the air as he ran. The man disarmed his gun as he approached Steve with a charming smile. 

“Are you all right?” he asked. 

“I had him on the ropes,” Steve replied. 

“Of course, my mistake,” the man chuckled. “Shouldn’t an omega like you be a little more careful about picking fights?” 

Steve scowled at the man. This close, he could smell that he was an alpha. It was a potent scent, too. Like some kind of warm, aromatic wood that reminded Steve of cozy fires in the winter, or humid summer days. It was amazing and Steve had to stop himself from stepping closer to him. 

“Next time, I’ll bring a weapon,” he said instead. “Care to lend me your pistol?” 

The alpha laughed, a bright warm sound escaping him with a wide smile and gleaming white teeth. He was beautiful. Steve needed to get away as quickly as possible. The last thing he needed was to fall for a strange, attractive alpha. His family, or at least his uncle, would never forgive him. 

“I like you,” the alpha said. “My name is Bucky.” 

Steve hesitated for a moment before he held out his hand. “Steve.” 

Bucky took the hand and kissed it gently. Steve definitely did not feel warm or flustered or have the slightest temptation to fan himself. Bucky’s hand was deceptively smooth, and his lips were soft against Steve’s skin. 

“Are you sure I can’t escort you anywhere, Steve?” Bucky asked. “I would hate for you to run into trouble after all this.” 

“Thank you, but I need to find my friend,” Steve said. “She took the maid fleeing those brutes to safety.” 

“Allow me to help you ensure her wellbeing, then,” Bucky said. “I am at your disposal.” 

Steve smiled in spite of himself. “Thank you.” 

They walked a ways up the street before Peggy stepped out of the tailor’s shop they had just left. She looked between Steve and Bucky before she rushed over to Steve and took his face in her hands. Steve winced as he realized that his face was probably bruised. 

“That brute,” she hissed. “I hope someone taught him a lesson.” 

“Someone did,” Bucky replied. “Bucky, at your service, ma’am.” 

“Peggy Carter, at yours,” she said with a curtsy. “You have my thanks, sir, for helping my friend.” 

“It was no trouble,” Bucky said. He turned to the maid. “How do you fare, ma’am? Those brutes didn’t scare you too badly, did they?” 

“They’re a rowdy bunch at the best of times, milord,” she said. “Constable will be makin’ arrests soon. They been makin’ nothin’ but trouble for days.” 

“Glad to be of service,” Bucky said. “Do you need anything?” 

“No, milord, I’ll be fine,” she said. She walked off towards another part of town and left them behind.

“We should be heading home,” Steve said. “Our driver isn’t far.” 

Bucky escorted the two of them to the driver. It was a pleasant walk, and Bucky made for good conversation. Steve found himself listening more than speaking, as he didn’t quite trust himself to speak around this mysterious, charming alpha. The scent alone made him feel weak at the knees. When they reached the carriage, Bucky stepped forward and helped them both inside. He smiled at Steve a moment longer. 

“I will be in town for the next few days,” he said. “Perhaps we will see each other again?” 

“I would love to, but I’m afraid I have a previous engagement, sir,” Steve replied. “It will take the better part of the near future.” 

“Such a pity,” Bucky replied. He tipped his hat to them. “A good day to you both, then.” 

He closed the door and the carriage lurched into motion. Steve breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at Peggy, who was smiling in amusement. 

“He was charming,” she said. 

“I suppose,” Steve replied. 

“His manners were impeccable,” she continued. 

“They were,” he said. 

“And his clothes were clearly well made,” she said. 

“Where are you going with this?” Steve asked. 

“You’re smitten, my dear,” she said with a smile. Steve’s face grew hot once again. 

“I am not!” he replied indignantly. “I barely know the man!” 

“Whatever you say, darling, but you’ve clearly been swept off your feet,” she said. “Perhaps it would be good to return to town after this is all over. If it doesn’t work out with the alpha Howard has in mind, perhaps this one would be a better match.” 

“That’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard,” Steve said. “We don’t even know if he’s our peer.” 

“Oh tosh, clearly he is and he clearly knows his way around high society,” she said. “Besides, that particular hotel is the nicest in Newcastle. Not just anyone could afford to stay there. Drink, maybe, but staying there is another question.” 

“I’m not listening to this conversation anymore,” Steve said as he looked pointedly out the window. Peggy just chuckled to herself, but she did stop talking. Steve enjoyed the rest of the carriage ride in blissful silence.

* * *

The reaction to a bruised face was, to put it mildly, a bit of a shock. His mother was hardly a shrinking violet, but Maria was clearly less used to such things. Thankfully, there wasn’t much more than a bruise and his eye wasn’t swelling, so his face could be hidden with a bit of rouge and powders. 

Howard ranted and raved about how irresponsible it was, of course. Peggy argued that, as a gentleman, it was Steve’s moral duty to step in. Howard scoffed at the notion that an omega could possibly be a gentleman. Steve rolled his eyes and made a note to go about learning how to shoot a pistol. In the event that he was in another fight in the future, he would need a better way of defending himself against bigger, stronger opponents. Which included pretty much everyone. 

Two days later, his bruise was already much better. He still applied a bit of powder and rouge to mask the fact that he had been in a fight. The suit he had ordered arrived in one piece and he dressed himself quickly and efficiently before the party. 

Peggy arrived early to serve as Steve’s companion for the night. Her red dress was just as dazzling as it was when he’d first seen it and it certainly captured the attention of Steve’s family. Her beautiful dark hair was done up in ringlets that cascaded down the sides of her face while the rest of her hair was pinned up. Around her neck, she wore a fiery amber necklace framed with gold. Matching earrings dangled from her ears. She was the picture of beauty and elegance. 

Steve himself wore a ring that was an old family heirloom. It was white gold with a dark green emerald in the center and shimmering diamonds surrounding it. It was passed down among omegas in the Rogers family and now it was his. He wore it proudly, as a reminder of who he was. 

“Are you ready?” she asked. 

“I think so,” Steve said. “Honestly, I think the waiting for the party will be worse than the party itself. It’s just one evening, after all. All I have to do is wait until the guests start leaving and make an excuse to turn in for the night.” 

“Of course, nothing to worry about,” she said. Nearby, a clock chimed that it was 8 and Steve stood up to go to the foyer with Peggy by his side. 

The guests slowly began to trickle in. Most arrived around 8:30 and it became a dizzying train of people who packed into the large hall (which was completely finished, thank the gods). Musicians filled the house with classical music and people began to dance happily as servants milled about serving champagne, wine, and hors dourves. 

Noble lord after noble lord filed through the doors to greet them. Few of them paid Steve any special attention. Most were enraptured by Peggy's appearance, as intended. However, the evening came to a screeching halt as Steve spied a familiar face in the crowd approaching them.

Bucky was here. At his party. He wore a dazzling black coat over a silver vest accented with gold trim. His eyes met Steve's and burned into him like hot irons searing a brand on Steve's skin. Steve stood rooted in place as the alpha walked casually up to Howard. To Steve's utter shock, Howard bowed. 

"Stark," Bucky intoned. 

"Your Highness," Howard said. Every thought in Steve's mind went still at those words. "Thank you for gracing my humble home."

"The pleasure is mine," Bucky said. He looked to Steve, cutting Howard off with an almost indifferent dismissal. 

"May I present my nephew, Lord Steven Rogers of Newcastle?" Howard said. Steve abruptly remembered to bow even as Peggy curtsied. 

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lord," Bucky said with an amused smile.

"Steven, may I present His Royal Highness, Prince James David Henry Buchanan?" Howard said. 

Steve held out his hand and Bucky--- the prince--- took it. He kissed his hand gently. Steve tried very hard to remember himself. 

"Welcome to my home, Your Highness," he said. "I hope you will enjoy the party."

The prince smiled. "I'm sure I will enjoy getting to know you better," he said. 

Steve blushed with embarrassment. He'd met a prince. He'd met a member of the royal family and hadn't known! The prince had failed to introduce himself as such! He'd left Steve at such a disadvantage and he was still holding Steve's hand. 

_He knew!_ Steve thought. _He knew who I was when he helped me and still left me in the dark!_

Steve snatched his hand out of Bucky's, pulled it back, and smacked him across the face. Bucky blinked in surprise, people gasped, and the music stopped. Steve didn't pay any of it any mind. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you officially, Your Highness," Steve said. He turned around and stalked out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all!
> 
> Come follow me on [tumblr](https://leisurelypanda.tumblr.com/) for various fandom related nonsense! <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're all staying healthy and sane during this crazy time!

Steve went to the library and shut the door behind him. He could barely breathe for the panic in his chest. He had slapped a prince! What was he thinking! He was as good as hung. His social life would be ruined forever. He would be sent away to live his life among an order of virgin omegas to some goddess or other, if he was lucky, forced to spend the rest of his life composing poetry or something for a goddess he didn't care about. 

On the other hand, he'd met the prince. That fact alone left him a little uncertain. Why would a prince be interested in him? Especially that one?

Neither prince had a great reputation, but for different reasons. The eldest prince was a nuisance. He was prone towards drunkenness, gambling, and general belligerence. The King's Dog, he was called behind closed doors. 

This one, Prince James, he was different. Prince James was _feared_. It was said that he had spies in every corner of the Empire, as well as several other countries. He was so renowned for his ruthless efficiency in battle he became known as the Winter Commander. He took no prisoners and suffered no slights. He was the most feared person in the Empire. 

What on earth could Howard possibly have to do with him?

There was a knock at the door. Steve went over and opened it without thinking. He paused as he saw Bucky--- the prince--- staring down at him. 

"It has been many years since I was slapped, and certainly never so publicly," he said. "This night, I have been slapped twice."

Steve blinked. "Twice?"

"Your friend has an impressive arm," the prince replied. "I must say that I wonder what will become of my reputation after tonight. Or yours, for that matter."

Steve backed away slowly. As he did so, the prince stalked inside, closing the door behind him. Steve was silent as he faced the alpha alone. 

"If my father knew, he would almost certainly call for your punishment," the prince said quietly. "He would have you arrested for assaulting a member of the royal family. If you were lucky, you would be flogged. If not, you would be hanged."

Steve swallowed. His heart felt like it was in his throat and his stomach felt like it had sunk to his feet. Howard had always warned him that his attitude would get him into trouble. Steve never knew how right he had been until the moment his back hit the wall and the prince moved into his space.

The prince reached up to stroke a thumb down the side of Steve's face. It was almost seductive with how gentle it was. The prince's eyes burned, but with what, Steve could not say. Probably rage, in all likelihood. 

"If I wanted," he whispered. "I could take everything your family has in recompense for this insult. Howard's little games in London would be sunk, your home would become my private residence, your family impoverished. All it would take is a letter to my father."

Steve looked up into the prince's eyes. Be didn't see malice or vengeance in them. For all this bluster, the prince didn't seem angry that Steve had slapped him. 

"You won't," Steve said.

"How do you know?" the prince asked.

How did he know? It wasn't like he knew the prince all that well. By Hades, he hadn't even recognized the man until Howard introduced them. What on earth made him think that he wouldn't do exactly what he said he would do?

"You're not like your father," Steve said. "If you were, you wouldn't be here now."

The prince studied him for a moment. He looked down into Steve's eyes with an unreadable look. Then he straightened himself, smiled, and turned around. He walked to the door, opened it, and turned to Steve. 

"Enjoy the rest of the party, my Lord," he said. Then he walked out. As soon as he was gone, Peggy rushed in and Steve fell to his knees as he let all the breath he was holding out at once. 

"By the gods, Steve, are you okay?" she asked frantically. He nodded vaguely. "What was he thinking, coming here like this and not even doing us the courtesy of telling us who he is? He's made fools of us!"

"You slapped him?" Steve asked.

"Of course," she replied. "He obviously knew who you were and didn't say anything. That was most ungentlemanly. He has taken advantage of you and your position."

Steve blinked. "What happens now?" 

“I have no idea,” she said. “Most likely, we go to meet our fate as social pariahs. I think that’s about the best that we could hope to expect out of tonight.” 

Steve sighed. “I suppose after this we could simply turn in and no one would think twice about it,” he said. “I can get a couple servants to prepare you quarters if you want. We still have some of your clothes from the last time you were here.” 

“Thank you, I might take you up on that,” she said. She knelt next to him and sighed. “How will I ever explain this to my brothers? My parents? They were depending on me to figure something out regarding marriage because they couldn’t afford to help me.” 

“My entire family could be doomed,” Steve said. “Gods, we really messed up, didn’t we?”

“Absolutely,” she said. “It’s easy to say that I don’t regret it, but… I can’t say that I won’t later.” 

“Yeah, me neither,” Steve said. “I don’t suppose you have a ‘we have to find a way to make the most of it’ line, do you?” 

She laughed ruefully. “Not this time, my dear.” 

A few minutes later, Steve’s mother appeared looking like she’d seen a ghost. Or, more likely, a prince. 

“What on earth did you say to him?” she asked. 

“Not much, honestly,” Steve said. “Why? What did he say?” 

“We will talk about that in the morning, young man,” she said. “Now, to bed with you. If I see you again tonight, I might strangle you. I have surely lost years off my life because of you.” 

She turned around and stormed off towards the party. Steve had no idea what she was going to tell them and to be honest, there was a part of him that didn’t want to know. 

“You know, being sent to bed without dinner is probably the best thing we could hope for considering what started this,” Steve said. 

“I’ll take it,” she replied.

* * *

The night was one of the longest Steve had ever experienced in his life. For one thing, the music of the party had continued long into the night and he wasn’t capable of tuning it out. He and Peggy kept each other company for a few hours before she left to find the room she was usually given when she stayed over. Steve had Lizzie, and she helped him to feel a little more at ease, but it was still difficult to relax. 

After tossing and turning for hours, he finally managed to fall asleep. It wasn’t exactly restful sleep, but it was still sleep. Still, he was abruptly awoken by someone knocking at the door rather insistently. He groaned as he rolled over in his bed. 

“Beggin’ your pardon, milord, but Lady Rogers has requested yours and Lady Carter’s presence in the dining room immediately,” the maid reported. 

“Okay,” Steve groaned. “I’ll be there.” 

“Beggin’ your pardon once again, milord, but Lady Rogers said I wasn’t to leave until you were ready and to help you dress if needed,” the maid replied. Steve’s eyes flew open and he threw the blanket off him. Lizzie was mildly startled, but didn’t seem that concerned with what was going on. 

“I will not be needing any help,” Steve said. “Is Lady Carter awake?” 

“She is, milord,” the maid replied. 

Steve sighed and shook himself awake. The last vestiges of sleep still clung to his eyes and he had to actively resist the temptation to fall back into bed. With his luck, he would only get to sleep for a few minutes before the maid started knocking again. He hadn’t locked the door, either, so she could just walk in. He might as well dress and save himself the trouble. He would make sure to drink lots of tea at breakfast, though. 

He dressed himself in a red shirt, overcoat, and a pair of pale yellow trousers. He debated wearing a top hat, but decided against it since he wasn’t going out. Lizzie jumped down onto the dresser at the end of the bed and onto the floor as she approached the door. She looked at him expectantly as Steve slipped on a pair of shoes. 

“All right, girl, I’m coming,” Steve said. He opened the door and looked at the maid. “Take her outside so she can relieve herself. I’ll see myself to the dining room.” 

“Very good, milord,” she said with a curtsy. Steve sighed as he went down the stairs. The gods only knew what was in store for him today. Maybe if he was lucky, they would just allow him to live the rest of his days in social exile. It was unlikely, but still. 

He froze as soon as he walked into the dining room. Sitting at the table near the head with his mother and Howard was none other than Prince James. The man smiled at him in amusement and beckoned him over with a pair of fingers. Steve’s face burned as he glared at the alpha. The prince seemed to be even more amused by that reaction, much to Steve’s annoyance. 

Peggy was sitting next to the prince and looked more than a little fascinated with her teacup. His mother got up and moved over one space so that Steve would be sitting in front of the prince. Steve walked over hesitantly and sat down. He still angled his body away from the prince as much as possible. 

“Good morning, Your Highness,” he said. “To what do we owe the pleasure?” 

“So you do know how to be polite,” the prince replied with a smile. “I must say that I’m pleased.” 

Steve ignored the jab and poured himself a cup of tea. He glared over the rim of his cup at the prince. It was still too early to deal with this without tea to help wake him up. The prince’s tendency to appear without warning was becoming tiresome. Weren’t the royal family supposed to let people know of their impending arrival before they showed up? That was the protocol Steve was familiar with and he couldn’t imagine any reason to abandon it. 

“How did you sleep?” the prince asked. 

“Not well, but I’ll survive,” Steve said shortly. “Why have I been summoned so early?” 

“Despite the scene you caused last night,” Howard almost growled. “The prince has informed us that he will gladly marry you. We are working on the logistics.” 

Steve’s entire world spun as he shot his gaze at the prince across the table from him. The prince simply smiled with an annoying amount of charm. Steve hated how attractive the prince was when he smiled. He hated how his heart skipped a beat at the sight. 

“Do I get any say in this?” Steve asked. 

“You do,” the prince replied. 

“To an extent,” Howard countered. “Your mother has already accepted the prince’s offer. You get to help determine when the wedding will be.” 

Steve looked at his mother in shock. “Are you serious, mother?” he whispered.

“Oh hush,” she hissed sharply. “After last night, you’re lucky to be getting married at all, let alone to a prince! This is a veritable miracle as far as you’re concerned.” 

His mouth snapped shut and he looked down at the table. She was right. His actions last night had been rash and this was a far better solution than anything he had even considered might happen. Maybe Hera or Hestia or Aphrodite had a sense of humor regarding his life, but whatever the reason, his fate was apparently decided. 

“How long will the engagement be?” he asked. 

“Six months,” Bucky replied. “And you will accompany me to Windsor to spend it.” 

“Absolutely not,” his mother said. “How can my son’s virtue be guaranteed if he lives with you before his wedding?” 

“He will be housed on a separate wing of the palace,” Bucky said. “And he will have his own staff and servants to tend to his needs.” 

“But why must he go to Windsor at all?” she demanded. 

“Because while I have no question of whether your son can take care of himself, he must be trained in how to conduct himself at court,” the prince replied. "Unless you think that slapping guests at parties is the proper conduct of a member of the royal family?"

“I assure you, he knows how to conduct himself around others, last night’s incident excepted, of course,” she replied. 

“No, he doesn’t,” the prince said. “He must not simply be my spouse. He must learn what is expected of a member of the royal family. That takes time.” 

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Howard said. “We are prepared to accommodate whatever you need from us to make this match work.” 

“I’m touched by your dedication,” the prince said with a genial smile. Steve noticed, however, that the smile did not reach the prince’s eyes. Whatever the prince might have to do with Steve’s uncle, it was clearly not because the prince liked Howard. It was somewhat disappointing, but not surprising. Most people Steve knew who associated with Howard did so for some ulterior motive, not because they enjoyed his company. 

“So six months in Windsor,” Steve said. “Will the wedding be there, as well?” 

“Indeed we shall,” the prince said. “Our day of bliss will be at St. George’s chapel.” 

“So the wedding will be in six months at Windsor,” Steve said. “I’m sorry, but what is there for me to provide input? It seems as though everything has been decided already.” 

“You can determine your wedding party, of course,” the prince replied. “And you can plan the celebration dinner afterwards.” 

“It is traditional, however, that royalty marry in the evening,” Peggy said. 

“Which means that the celebration will be afterwards,” Steve said. He resisted the urge to sigh. 

“Yes, as is tradition,” the prince replied. “Along with that is the tradition that members of the court take the couple to bed. But that still leaves you with plenty to plan for the big day.” 

“I’m sure I’ll be kept so busy that the next six months will fly by,” Steve said. “I can hardly wait.”

“There, you see?” the prince said. “And of course, you are welcome to bring any companions you would like. You will, of course, have to choose your omegas-in-waiting.” 

“Lady Carter, you’re invited, of course,” Steve said.

“I would happy to be included in your omegas-in-waiting,” she replied with a smile. Steve returned the look fondly. It would be good to know that he would have at least one person he knew he could trust.

“I’m sure you will be a welcome addition to the royal court, my lady,” the prince said. 

“Thank you, Your Highness,” she replied. “I hope that I live up to your expectations.” 

The prince smiled politely and Steve drained the last of his tea before pouring another cup. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of this situation, but he supposed that it was a blessing in some way. 

“Could I trouble the two of you to give me a moment alone with my lovely spouse-to-be?” the prince asked. “There are one or two things that I would like to discuss with him in private.” 

“Of course, Your Highness,” Howard said. He stood up and bowed. Everyone else at the table followed suit. Soon the room was utterly empty and the prince’s gaze bored into Steve’s eyes. 

“Why are you doing this?” Steve asked. “I slapped you last night, and now I’m to marry you? I have to say this is an unexpected turn of events.” 

“Indeed, and I must say that I did not quite expect them to turn out this way, either,” the prince said. “I expected another demure, boring noble omega who simpered and pandered to my every whim simply because I am a prince.” 

“Sorry to disappoint,” Steve drawled. 

“On the contrary, had you been what I expected, I would never have agreed to Howard’s offer,” the prince said. 

“My uncle… offered me to you?” Steve asked. 

“Yes, he did,” the prince replied. “I heard what various people had to say about you. That you were spirited, passionate, and bold, but I expected people to say that you were such things ‘for an omega.’” 

“And this convinced you to propose to me?” Steve asked. 

“No,” the prince said. “Seeing you fight that man in town convinced me to make the proposal.”

Steve’s head was spinning. This was hardly what he had expected from his first conversation with his official fiancé. He had never really expected to be courted like in the stories, but he had, at least, hoped for something less… transactional. It was disappointing, at the very least. 

“I can’t say that I really understand the reasons you have for wanting to marry me,” Steve said. 

“What more reason do I need?” the prince asked. Steve gave him a distinctly unimpressed look as he took another sip of tea. 

“There are always reasons for everything,” Steve said. “That’s what Howard always says.” 

“You call your guardian by his first name?” the prince asked. 

“He is not a peer, and only technically my guardian,” Steve said. “I have lived for many years outside of his influence and will live many more in all likelihood.” 

“A little noble pride, then,” the prince said. 

“I shudder to think how low you must think of me that I surprise you so effortlessly,” Steve said. 

“On the contrary, my opinion was already higher than it is for most,” the prince replied. “You have simply exceeded them at every turn.” 

Steve tried not to blush, but in vain. His father’s Irish complexion betrayed him, as it always did. It was flattering to know that someone saw value in his tendency to throw off traditional omega traits. It was more likely for people to comment on how unusual it was for an omega to be argumentative, to stand their ground, or to express themselves so openly. Having such traits complimented was a rather nice change. 

“I do have a question,” Steve said. “Why did you not identify yourself when we met in town? You have to know that was the reason for the… incident last night, as my mother put it.” 

“Ah. That,” the prince said. “I had my reasons.” 

“I would know them,” Steve said. “I am to be your fiancé, and our first meeting was under false pretenses. I would know why.” 

The prince studied him for some time. Steve met his gaze without flinching. After a few moments, the prince smiled and Steve was taken aback for a moment. The smile was genuine, for some odd reason. 

“Very well,” the prince said. “I wanted to know what you were like without your knowing who I was. People have a tendency to act differently around royalty, as I’m sure you are aware.” 

“I’ve hardly had much opportunity to observe such behavior,” Steve replied. “But I will take your word for it.” 

“That being said, you will be expected, by me and other members of the court, to behave in a way befitting of a member of the royal family,” the prince continued. “Despite my admiration for the way you carry yourself, I must insist that you work to meet my… exacting standards.”

“Is it something other than how to behave in polite society?” Steve asked. 

“Much more,” the prince replied. “It is manners, etiquette, royal protocol, traditions, and of course, obedience, discipline, and maintenance.” 

“Obedience?” Steve asked. “Your Highness, it seems as though you want to be in charge of me.” 

“As is expected of an alpha when he takes an omega,” the prince replied evenly. “Surely you were aware that you would belong to your alpha when you married, little lord?”

Steve felt his face heat up again at the endearment. No one, not one person ever in his life, had ever called him something so familiar and… personal. It felt like both an acknowledgement of his status and like the prince was teasing him about it. Steve set his jaw and glared at the prince. The prince’s smile only grew. The prince was annoyingly unruffled by Steve’s defiance. 

"And what of this discipline you mentioned?" Steve asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, that. It is... fashionable for an alpha to mete out praise when their spouse does well... and punishment to correct other behavior," the prince said. 

"I'm afraid that this doesn't offer much in the way of clarification," Steve said. 

"Simply know that I have your best interest in mind," the prince said. "And that nothing that you do not truly enjoy shall happen. I hope that our relationship shall be more pleasurable than not."

Steve's face began to heat up again and he averted his gaze. He was certain of what the prince was implying. He'd heard rumors and to be honest, he found them fascinating and titillating... in private. Peggy was less enamored with them, but he suspected it was because she would rather be in the alpha's position than the omega's. What Howard thought of them was something Steve adamantly avoided thinking about. He looked back to the prince and was startled to find him looking at him with dark eyes and a strange, but exciting, glint in them. 

“It will be interesting to see how you maintain your composure in more… compromising situations,” the prince almost purred. 

“You expect for me to be in such situations often?” Steve asked. 

“Little lord, you are of noble birth,” the prince said. “Surely even you know that scandal can arise from anything. It is even truer for princes and kings. Your composure must be without crack or fault.” 

“And you intend to teach me,” Steve said. 

“I am rather thorough in my instruction,” the prince said with a sly smile. Steve was unsure how to interpret that. The prince clearly had secrets that he wasn’t going to let go of. At least, not for the moment. Steve intended to find out what they were eventually. 

“I am, of course, at your service, Your Highness,” Steve said.

“Please, call me Bucky,” the prince said. “You and I will be married, after all. We may as well use each other’s names. I will not have you calling me ‘Your Highness.’”

Steve blinked. “Really?” 

“You sound surprised,” Bucky said with a concerned frown. 

“It’s just… your name is prince James,” Steve said. “Where did Bucky come from?” 

“My family calls me James,” Bucky said darkly. “If you intend for me to harbor tender feelings towards you, you will not call me that.” 

“As you say, Bucky,” Steve said. “I suppose you will call me Steve?” 

“Perhaps,” Bucky said with a smile. “And now, I must make preparations for our departure. We will leave by the end of the week.” 

Bucky got up and went to leave. He was almost to the door when Steve found his courage again. 

“Bucky,” he said. Bucky stopped and turned towards him, his hand frozen halfway to the door handle. 

“Yes, little lord?” Bucky asked. 

“I am an omega,” Steve said. Bucky blinked. 

“Yes, of course,” Bucky said. “That was a significant part of why I chose you.” 

“I understand the nature of our relationship,” Steve said. “You need me to provide an heir and I have been promised to fulfill that need.” 

“Who says that I need an heir?” Bucky asked. His voice was cool and careful. Steve raised one eyebrow. 

“Prince Frederick,” Steve said. “His wife has been married for nearly three years and she has yet to conceive. I imagine people are getting… anxious.” 

Bucky regarded him for a moment. He turned back towards him and walked back over until he was standing a few feet away from Steve. This close, Steve realized he’d forgotten how Bucky towered over him, how broad his shoulders were. His scent, the aromatic wood that Steve couldn’t identify, filled the space and Steve felt his heart skip a beat. The scent was so warm and comforting. Even if Steve didn’t know Bucky, which he really didn’t, he would think that Bucky was a good, trustworthy person. 

“I see,” Bucky said. “I cannot help but feel as though this is leading towards something.” 

“I want to be courted,” Steve said. “I might not get to choose who my intended will be, but I still want to be treated as an alpha would treat their intended omega.” 

Bucky stared down at him for a moment Steve met his gaze. There was a part of him that wanted to curl inwards, to make himself smaller, to seek the safety and security of having an alpha, but he refused. He willed his spine to be as steel. A few minutes later, Bucky smiled. 

“Very well, little lord,” he said with a slight bow. He turned again and this time, Steve didn’t stop him when he left the room.

* * *

The rest of the day felt surreal. Peggy left shortly after lunch to return home and make her preparations to accompany them to Windsor. Bucky, however, did not leave. In fact, Howard seemed to go out of his way to accommodate him. It actually got to the point that Bucky dismissed him and Steve had to hide his face behind a fan to avoid being seen laughing at his uncle. 

Bucky made himself at home. It was awkward, to say the least. Steve had to share his space with a strange alpha who happened to be his fiancé. He was polite when they encountered each other, but alas, the house was yet unfinished, so there were only so many places Steve could go. 

Most curiously, Lizzie didn’t seem bothered by Bucky’s presence. She didn’t so much as bark when she encountered him. In fact, he bent down with a smile and let her sniff his hand. Then she licked it happily. Steve was shocked as she proceeded to roll over for Bucky to rub her stomach, and even more shocked when he actually did. Bucky looked up at him and Steve averted his eyes, too late. 

“I like dogs,” he said. “They’re honest and loyal, and they have excellent taste in people.” 

“Her name is Lizzie,” Steve said as he turned back towards Bucky. “She’s been my dog for a few years now.” 

“She certainly has the energy of a younger dog,” Bucky said. “Would you mind if I entertained her?” 

Steve smiled. “Be my guest,” he said. “She could use the exercise.” 

Bucky smiled and walked out towards the garden. Steve followed and Lizzie trotted after him. Bucky jogged over to a nearby oak tree and picked up a small stick that had fallen to the ground. Lizzie’s ears perked up as she looked towards Bucky. He jogged back over and presented the stick to her. She jumped around excitedly and began to bark. Bucky threw the stick. 

“Fetch!” he said. She darted off as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. Steve chuckled as he watched. 

“I feel I should tell you that she doesn’t know that command,” he said. Bucky turned to him with a grin. 

“Would you permit me to train her?” Bucky said. “I would wager that I could have her trained by the time we leave.” 

“What are the stakes?” Steve asked. “Hopefully nothing too drastic. I would hate for you to start our marital bliss in debt to me.” 

“I always pay my debts,” Bucky said. “But I had something rather low stakes in mind.” 

“Very well,” Steve said. “What are the stakes?” 

“If I win, you must polish my boots,” Bucky said. Steve glared at him. “What? Too lowly for a mighty lord?”

“I didn’t say that,” Steve said. “And if I win?” 

“Well that depends, little lord,” Bucky said. “What do you want?” 

Steve hummed as he thought. He could ask for anything. He could ask that Bucky buy him a new suit, or perhaps a book. He could ask for new boots or for Bucky to massage his shoulders. This was low stakes, though. He shouldn’t ask for anything elaborate. 

“A kiss,” Steve said. Bucky blinked and Steve actually thought he saw a faint blush on Bucky’s face. He hid a smile behind his fan. Bucky stretched out his hand. 

“Deal,” he said. Steve extended his hand and they shook on it. Steve was surprised to feel how callused Bucky’s hand was. It shouldn’t be surprising. The prince was an accomplished army officer and no stranger to hard work. What was surprising was how good it felt. 

“May the best man win,” Bucky said with a grin. 

“I intend to,” Steve said without thinking. Before he could take it back, Bucky threw his head back and laughed. He laughed as he made his way to Lizzie, who was lying in the grass with the stick in her mouth. He gently wrested the stick from her mouth. Steve watched as Bucky threw the stick again. 

Despite his personal feelings on this match at first, Steve had to admit that he enjoyed the image of the alpha playing with Steve’s dog. He couldn’t be that bad if Lizzie approved of him.

* * *

By the time Steve finally got around to turning in for the night, Lizzie was exhausted. She was sleeping by the fire in the drawing room and Steve was forced to carry her up to his room. She had worn herself out playing with Bucky and to be honest, Steve was impressed with Bucky’s ability to keep up with her. Lizzie had what seemed like boundless energy. 

He entered his quarters and laid her down on the bed. It was then that he noticed a bouquet of flowers sitting on the table next to his bed. They were daisies, pretty and simple, but in the center of the bouquet was a vibrant, red snapdragon. Steve was fascinated by the combination. It was beautifully arranged. Steve had, of course, received flowers before, but nothing this elaborate. 

The note was simple, and gave no explanation for the flowers or what was meant by them. It simply read: _For my little lord._ Steve smiled all the same. He sat on the bed and began to admire the flowers. Then he went to his desk and retrieved a stack of parchment and a length of charcoal. He wanted to sketch the flowers before they could get the chance to wilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all!
> 
> Come follow me on [tumblr](https://leisurelypanda.tumblr.com/) for various fandom related nonsense! <3


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, Steve stayed in his quarters to catch up on his studies. At least, that was what he reported to his maid. He took breaks to take Lizzie outside so she wouldn’t make a mess inside, but beyond that, she stayed with him. At one point, he caught Bucky’s eye on the other side of the garden. He smiled politely and took Lizzie back inside before he could swoop in and try to win the bet. 

Steve had no intention of losing. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the idea of polishing Bucky’s boots (he didn’t). It was that he didn’t like the idea of losing. He could, of course, play fairly, but Bucky seemed to know what he was doing when it came to dogs, and Steve was not inclined to take chances. 

When he came down for dinner that evening, he was seated next to his fiancé. Such a thing wasn’t that unusual, but Steve could smell Bucky’s scent. It made him relax and want to lower his guard. Bucky leaned over as the servants served the food. 

“I know what you’re up to, little lord,” Bucky murmured. 

“I’m sure I’ve never been up to anything in my life, Your Highness,” Steve replied with a grin. “I simply prefer to do my studying indoors since I would hate to be caught in the rain with a book on hand.” 

“Does your studying require you to have your dog with you?” Bucky asked. 

“Lizzie is a valued companion to me and she provides emotional support,” Steve replied. 

“You’re a cheater, little lord,” Bucky said. 

“I resent that remark,” Steve said as he began to sip his soup. “Lizzie is my dog. What manner of wager asks that a man separate himself from his dog? I think she would be quite distressed at that.” 

“And I believe I may have underestimated you,” Bucky said as he turned to his food. Steve allowed himself a small, triumphant smile at having bested the alpha. He just needed to keep it up for five more days and he would win. “However, don’t think that I will be bested so easily. I have faced worse challenges than teaching a dog how to fetch.” 

“I have no doubt about that,” Steve replied. 

“What are the two of you muttering about?” Howard asked. 

“Nothing important, sir,” Bucky replied smoothly. “I had some questions about the surrounding wildlife that Steve was helping to answer.” 

“Steve has studied biology since he was a boy,” his mother said. “I’m sure he would be happy to help you find the answers you’re looking for, Your Highness.” 

“Perhaps a tour of the grounds?” Howard suggested. “I’m sure that he could show you all kinds of things.” 

“I think that sounds like a splendid idea,” Bucky replied. He grinned down at Steve. 

“I can think of nothing I would enjoy more,” Steve said dutifully. This wager would not be so easily won, it would seem.

* * *

The next day, Steve was forced to rise early from his sleep so that he could get ready for the tour he was to take Bucky on. He grumbled to himself the whole time as he was getting ready, but he did as he was expected. Being late was a royal prerogative, and he wasn’t part of royal family yet. 

Lizzie trotted along dutifully as he walked out of the room. The house was quiet as he ventured downstairs. The breakfast room was empty aside from the pristine table cloth draped over the table. Breakfast had not yet been served, it would seem. 

An idea occurred to him. He ventured down to the kitchens. This part of the house was bustling. Servants milled about as they attended to their morning duties. Each one of them greeted him and he nodded his head respectfully as he made his way to the kitchen. Their cook, Mrs. Fillmore, was a portly beta woman with greying brown hair and a square face. She stopped as Steve approached. 

“Milord,” she said. “What may I do for you?” 

“Mrs. Fillmore, I was wondering if you could collect some cured meats for me,” Steve said. 

“Certainly, milord, but whatever for? Breakfast will be ready soon enough,” she said. 

“Oh, I don’t need them now, I just need them in a sack, as something to bring along for the tour with His Highness,” Steve said. 

“Will milord be needing a picnic, then?” she asked. Steve smiled. 

“That sounds wonderful, Mrs. Fillmore,” Steve said. “The cured meats are for Lizzie, though. It wouldn’t do for her to go hungry.” 

“Certainly, milord,” she said. “I’ll have everything prepared before your departure.” 

“Thank you,” Steve said. He turned around with a smile on his face and whistled for Lizzie to follow him. It took a moment, on account that she was shamelessly begging for scraps (which she received from the kitchen assistant). Perhaps it would be as simple as this.

* * *

A couple hours and a light breakfast later, Steve and Bucky were walking out of the house, with various chaperones following in the distance. Lizzie followed along, sticking close to Steve. Bucky gallantly volunteered to carry the basket for them, but Steve secretly had a bag of the cured meats for Lizzie in his hand. 

Steve started with the gardens they had installed over the course of the past few years. Some of the plants were new, but Steve still knew what they were. He showed Bucky where they were planning to put different buildings.

“What’s going here?” Bucky asked, indicating an open area a fair distance from the main house. 

“That’s up for some debate,” Steve replied. “Howard wants to make a workshop so that he can keep inventing while he’s here.”

“Does he come here often?” Bucky asked. 

“Almost never,” Steve replied. “He prefers to stay in London rather than stay in a house that isn’t complete yet.” 

“I must say it seems a little strange,” Bucky said. “But the area that I’ve seen is entirely finished and furnished, so one might hardly guess that the house wasn’t complete if they hadn’t noticed the builders and supplies being brought in.” 

“It’s been like this for a couple years now,” Steve said. “Howard is determined that he will have a house to equal, but preferably surpass, that of the great families.” 

“Even if it is not technically his house?” Bucky asked. “And is it not associated with a great family?” 

“Technically it is his house, and no longer associated with a great family,” Steve said. “My father was the last of his line and he decided that his brother-in-law, Howard, should inherit in the event that he died in the war and my mother had a child that could not inherit. She did, so now Howard is the Earl of Newcastle upon Tyne.” 

“But it is a house that has passed down through the Rogers family, not the Stark family,” Bucky replied. 

“It is, and Maria was my father's sister, so the house is still technically in the family. When he inherited it, Howard felt that it was… antiquated,” Steve said. “The work is more of an extended redecoration and he’s been funneling money towards the project for years.” 

“One shudders to think how much he must be spending on such a project,” Bucky said. “He certainly does not want for money in London.” 

“He may not have been born a peer, but there’s no doubt that he is at least as wealthy as many families in Europe,” Steve said. 

“And all because he managed to inherit the title of Earl from his brother-in-law,” Bucky mused.

“It hardly matters anymore,” Steve said. “I have always lived in a house that belonged to my family, but never to me. Nothing can change that.” 

Bucky fell silent at that. They continued walking in the small clearing that Bucky had indicated. This late in the year, the leaves were turning a brilliant orange as they began to fall to the earth. Many of the birds that inhabited the trees in the warmer months had started to fly south for the winter. Others, like the blackbirds and robins, were settling in. 

“What do you want to have here?” Bucky asked. “Another garden?”

“Not quite,” Steve said. “I want to have a glass house installed to grow plants that prefer warmer locales.” 

“Really?” Bucky asked. “What will you grow?” 

“I haven’t the foggiest idea,” Steve said. “In all likelihood, I won’t be here to help make the decision, and Howard isn’t the most receptive person when he gets an idea in his head. We’ll very likely have a workshop.” 

Bucky didn’t argue with that. Steve led him out of the clearing and started walking towards the river. They lived upstream from Newcastle, so the water was considerably cleaner. Steve much preferred it here. The fish were sometimes eager to be caught and the scenery was pleasing to look at. It made for a peaceful place when the noise of the work on the house became overwhelming. 

Bucky walked over to a tree by the side of the river he selected a small fallen branch and broke it into a more manageable piece. He waved it in front of Lizzie, who perked up at the sight of the stick. 

“Fetch!” he said as he threw the stick. Lizzie ran after the stick and as soon as it was in her grasp, she began to gnaw at it. Bucky tried whistling for her, but she ignored him. Steve smiled. Perhaps it would be easier than he thought to win this bet. After a while, Bucky approached her, but instead of relinquishing the stick, she pulled back to hold onto it. 

“Lizzie!” Steve called out. She let go of the stick and ran over to him. He discreetly pulled out a bit of ham and fed it to her. “Good girl! Who’s a good girl? You are!” 

“Well, that’s one way to get her to let go of the stick,” Bucky said. “I don’t suppose you would consent to call her name whenever she gets the stick?” 

“You would have me assist you in winning the bet?” Steve asked. “Is that a serious request?” 

Bucky grinned and shrugged. “I was going to charm you into doing so,” he said. 

“Oh?” Steve asked. “It’s been so long since an alpha has tried to charm me. I may swoon from the shock of it.” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch you if it comes to that,” Bucky replied with a wink. Steve felt his accursed face start to heat up in response to that. The damned alpha just grinned wider at the sight. Maybe Steve would have him strangled. He could probably pin that on someone else. Maybe. 

“Has anyone ever told you how lovely you are when you blush?” Bucky asked with that absurd grin. Steve punched Bucky’s shoulder, but the alpha just laughed. “Such a violent omega! Only a few days since we met and I’ve already been struck twice.” 

“Thrice,” Steve said. “Lady Carter slapped you, too.” 

“Ah yes, I forgot about her. She had quite an arm,” Bucky said. “As did you, as it happens. Where did you learn to hit so hard?” 

“I have my secrets,” Steve said with a smile. “Perhaps you could guess and I’ll tell you if you’re warm or cold.” 

“Or you could just tell me,” Bucky said. “It really was quite impressive, I could feel the sting of your palm on my face until I laid my head on my pillow to sleep.” 

“Well, I have to say that this is a refreshing change of pace,” Steve said. “Usually when alphas flatter me it has to do with my hair or my clothes.” 

“Flattery? You wound me, little lord,” Bucky replied. “I assure you, everything I say is completely sincere.” 

“As does every other alpha who tries their hand at paying compliments,” Steve said. “I’ve learned to put little stock in such things.” 

“So what do you put stock in?” Bucky asked. “If your approval is so hesitantly won, what does it take to win it?” 

Steve considered this for a moment. It was certainly true that his good opinion was fairly limited in terms of who received it. There was his mother, of course, and Peggy, but beyond them, there were precious few people whom he regarded highly. Most alpha lords were pompous, self-important braggarts who were infatuated with their mediocrity. 

“I prefer to put stock in actions,” he finally said. “Many alpha and beta lords tend to overplay the significance of their accomplishments, but seldom measure up when it comes time to rise to the occasion.” 

“So you value someone who lives up to what people say about them,” Bucky said. 

“Yes,” Steve said. “Any idiot can say something about themselves, but only action tells one whether those claims have substance.” 

“Fascinating,” Bucky said. “A rare perspective, to be sure.” 

Bucky turned to Lizzie and attempted to throw the stick again. She looked towards it, but simply stared at him. Steve had a bit of ham clutched in his hand. Lizzie looked torn, but eventually she ran after the stick. Once again, however, she failed to return with the stick. Lizzie lay down in the grass to play with the stick again and Bucky sighed as he walked over to get the stick again. 

Steve smiled to himself. Bucky was certainly confident in his abilities, but only time would tell whether he had the determination to back it up. There was a part of Steve that would be rather pleased if he lost the bet, if only because it would require time, effort, and dedication that few seemed to actually have. The larger part of him was too competitive to roll over and see what happened without taking steps to ensure his victory.

* * *

The rest of the week passed much the same as before, except for one key difference: Steve found himself factually enjoying his time with Bucky. The prince was both intelligent and genuinely interesting, which was more than Steve could say about many alphas. Some of Peggy’s brothers were interesting, but none had her keen mind and wit. 

He really shouldn’t have been surprised. Bucky, as a prince, had access to some of the best education in the country. He’d had private tutors from Eton teaching him from the time he was old enough to talk. It was the kind of opportunity Steve had dreamed of when he was a boy, but no tutors ever consented to instruct an omega, no matter how bright and intelligent he seemed. He also suspected that Howard hadn’t really tried very hard until he realized Steve was genuinely intelligent, and even then, he still wasn’t able to find a tutor. Tony, on the other hand, was due to attend Eton as soon as he was old enough to do so. 

Each day, Steve and Bucky went for a walk. Sometimes they were escorted or chaperoned. Other times, none could be found. Steve didn’t think much of being chaperoned, but he didn’t argue much against it. Usually it was Maria or his mother, and while he didn’t necessarily enjoy getting to know his fiancé while they were around, it was better than not being able to spend any time with him. 

Lizzie, it turned out, liked Bucky a great deal. Steve was both annoyed by this development and found it endearing at the same time. It was cute to watch a big, strong alpha playing so enthusiastically with Lizzie. Unfortunately, that meant that Lizzie was learning more about how to fetch, despite Steve’s best efforts. It seemed less and less likely that Steve would win the bet. 

At the end of each day, there was a bouquet of flowers waiting for him in his room. None of them were the same as the day before, but the snapdragon was a common theme. Unfortunately, Steve’s books were more concerned about the biology of plants, how to grow them, and what variations there were within a species. Steve had never really studied symbolism of plants before. He had a feeling that Bucky was familiar with such things, though. 

On the last night, Steve rose from the drawing room. He had spent the better part of the evening talking to Bucky and growing increasingly annoyed by the fact that he liked the prince. Bucky listened to him. Despite the fact that he had far more formal education than Steve, he listened to Steve talk about his studies without critique or appearing amused by the fact that Steve was interested in such things. 

He also had yet to so much as mention anything about Steve’s appearance. He complimented Steve’s persistence in teaching himself and his tenacity. Steve had to blink the first time it happened. He found himself blushing more and more as they continued to spend time together. 

Maybe Bucky really was different from other alphas. 

That night, Bucky escorted Steve to his room, separate from the others. Bucky stopped outside Steve’s room. Steve turned to him. 

“It has been a pleasure tonight,” Steve said. “I almost can’t believe that we will be leaving tomorrow morning.” 

“I feel the same, little lord,” Bucky said. “The week has flown by.” 

“I believe this means that I’ve won the bet,” Steve said with a smile. Bucky just smiled back. 

“I wouldn’t count me out just yet,” he replied. “There is still time, after all.” 

“Lizzie spends her nights with me, so unless you’re planning on stealing her away, I think that puts you in a bit of a bind,” Steve said. “Unless you know of a way to make dogs feel less tired when they want to sleep.” 

“Still, it’s not over yet,” Bucky said. “Regardless, I have something for you.” 

“No snapdragons tonight, then?” Steve asked. Bucky smiled fondly. 

“Not tonight,” Bucky said. “I have this, instead.” 

He pulled out a small box and opened it. Steve gasped as he saw a ring inside unlike any he had ever seen. It had a thick band of white gold carved to look like a pair of serpents. The eyes of the serpents were inlaid with tiny onyx gems. In the center of the ring was a large, gorgeous sapphire. The carving was in such exquisite detail that Steve just stared at it for several minutes. 

“You are to marry me,” Bucky said. “So I thought that it would be fitting that you have a ring of a quality that reflects the status you will possess, if you consent.” 

“If I consent?” Steve asked. 

“Yes,” Bucky said. “Despite what has been decided, you were not given the chance to say whether you wanted to marry me. I do not want to force you into something you don’t want. If you don’t consent, I will inform your mother and uncle that the wedding is off and depart alone.” 

“I can’t believe it,” Steve said. Bucky held the box in front of him and Steve looked down at the ring. After all this, he could walk away. What would that even mean? His family would probably be deeply disappointed in him. 

And yet… for once he wasn’t worried about that. If he turned Bucky down, who knew when or if he would ever see Bucky again? A week was too soon to develop feelings for someone, but the prospect was truly disheartening. Bucky… was a good man. He was a good alpha. For all that Steve didn’t think much of alphas, he admitted that finding a good one was hard. 

No. Bucky was unique among alphas. If Steve didn’t marry him, he would never find someone to even equal Bucky’s quality. 

“I could say the same to you. Is this something you want?” Steve asked. “Do you want to marry me?” 

“What does it matter what I want?” Bucky asked. Steve glared at him. 

“It matters because I will not be the one to trap you in a relationship that does not make you happy,” Steve said. “You’re a prince. If anyone has the freedom to do as they please, is it not you?” 

Bucky stared at him for a long while. Steve felt the seconds pass by almost tangibly. Bucky’s face was unreadable. He didn’t pull away though. 

“Being a prince gives one less freedom than you would think,” Bucky said. “There are many expectations and manners that one must master, lessons that most will never have. But this, who I marry, I choose to make that choice for myself before someone else decides it for me.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Steve said. “Do you want to marry me?” 

“I do, little lord,” Bucky said. “And not to spite anyone or gain favor with your uncle. To be honest, I care very little about him. I want to marry you because I am fond of you and I want you and the rest of the business around it can be damned.” 

Steve had never swooned in his life. He had never so much as thought about swooning unless he was reading a Jane Austen novel. Even then, he never actually did. The look in Bucky’s eyes, though, the passion, intensity, and conviction Steve saw in them as he heard the words Bucky said, he thought he might swoon now. 

“That might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me,” Steve said. Bucky shocked him again. He grinned sheepishly, as though he was embarrassed to have stated his feelings so openly. Alphas made no sense. 

“Does that mean that you’ll consent?” Bucky asked. 

“Yes, I will,” Steve said with a smile. “As long as you continue to court me. I have standards.” 

Bucky chuckled as he took the ring out of the box it was nestled in. 

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” Bucky said. He slid the ring on Steve’s finger. It was a little big and would have to be fitted, but otherwise it was beautiful. Steve smiled down at it. “This ring belonged to my grandmother. It’s said that it’s been passed down through the family for generations.” 

“It didn’t go to your sister-in-law?” Steve asked. 

“My grandmother wouldn’t let my brother touch it,” Bucky said. “They never got along. She gave it to me instead. There were rumors that Apollo gave her visions of the future because she followed him, since every time her husband made a decision with her guidance, it turned out well, but she never said one way or another.” 

“So it’s a special ring, then?” Steve asked. “Good to know. I’ll keep it safe.” 

Bucky’s eyes softened. “Thank you,” he said. He raised Steve’s hand and pressed a kiss to his fingers. “I will see you in the morning, my little lord.” 

With that, he turned and walked towards the bachelor section of the house. Steve hastily went inside and closed the door behind him. He smiled broadly and held his hand out to admire the ring. It was beautiful, truly a one-of-a-kind ring. He took it off and set it on his nightstand. The last thing he needed was to lose it in the night.

* * *

Steve hardly slept that night. He would roll over and smile and start talking to Lizzie, who would either ignore him and keep sleeping or yawn. She didn’t find what Bucky did last night nearly as impressive. Steve didn’t care, though. He was just happy that Bucky actually wanted to be with him. Sometimes he wasn’t quite sure that what he remembered was real, but then he would look at the ring and know that it was. 

He got up before the sun was in the sky. He dressed quickly with what clothes still remained. Everything else had been packed up already. He could only bring a few books, but that was nothing considering that the library at Windsor would surely be much bigger and have many books that Steve had never read before. 

He still packed two of his favorite Jane Austen novels, the book on wildflowers, the book on dreams (because Steve was stubborn and refused to admit defeat in that), and a book on wildlife. With any luck, he would be able to find new creatures and plants to study in Windsor. 

Lizzie was coming too, of course. She hopped down the stairs in front of Steve and ran over to Bucky, who was standing by the fireplace. Bucky looked at Steve and smiled. Steve thumbed the ring on his left ring finger as he smiled back. His arms were full of books and as he reached the bottom of the stairs, Bucky approached him. 

“Do you need help?” he asked. Steve shook his head. 

“I’ll be fine, these are just a few things that I didn’t want to pack until the very end. Books are difficult to replace, after all,” he said. 

“Less difficult these days, but you’re right,” Bucky replied. He read the titles and Steve braced himself to be teased about bringing along romance novels. “You have an interesting variety of topics here.” 

“I have a variety of interests,” Steve said. “Besides, it will take several days to reach Windsor.” 

“And you think that you will grow bored of my company?” Bucky teased. Steve hit him with the largest book, which happened to be the one on prophetic visions. “Tell me you didn’t start reading this _On Dreams, Visions, and Portents_ because you thought that the ring would give you prophetic powers.” 

“No, actually,” Steve said. “And it doesn’t matter why I’m reading it.” 

“If you start having portents, let me know,” Bucky said with a grin. “I’ve known several priests of Apollo who claimed to have such abilities, only for such claims to fall apart.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Steve said. “Supposed fortune tellers are a penny a dozen in London.” 

Bucky laughed as he started walking away. “Well said.” 

Steve took the books to the nearest servant he could find. They were all staying here to help run the house and Bucky would give him a new maid when they arrived at Windsor. Hell, knowing the royal family, Steve would probably have multiple maids that attended to his needs. How he would find work for them to do was a question he hadn’t thought much about. He didn’t even have someone who helped him dress here. 

They stayed long enough to have breakfast. Bucky was charming and gracious to all of Steve’s relatives, which Steve appreciated. There was a part of Steve that was eager to leave so that he could finally be out from Howard’s watchful gaze. He made himself be patient, though. Nothing would be gained by seeming to be eager to leave. 

When the time finally came, Bucky took his hand and helped Steve up into the carriage. It was a cold morning and Steve could see his breath as he stepped outside. He wrapped his arms around himself, grateful for the fur coat to keep him warm. 

“Will we see you again in London?” Howard said. Bucky turned to him. 

“Perhaps,” Bucky said. “I will send for you when the time comes to do business.” 

“Oh, of course, Bucky,” Howard said. 

“You may call me ‘Your Highness,’” Bucky said coldly. Just like that, he sounded formal and commanding, every inch the prince and military commander that he had been trained to be. “You forget yourself, Stark. I will forgive you this time, but do not let it happen again.” 

Howard bristled at the reprimand. He bowed his head and Bucky turned and got in the carriage without another word. Once he was inside he drew down the panel that blocked the window and sighed. 

“Your uncle is exhausting,” he said. 

“You’re telling me,” Steve replied. “He might be wealthy, but he always seems to find an opportunity to demonstrate the fact that he has not an ounce of noble bearing.”

“Indeed,” Bucky replied. He tapped the roof and the carriage lurched into motion. “To Westford House. We need to collect the charming Lady Carter.” 

The ride was a short one. Peggy was waiting for them when they arrived. As soon as her belongings were loaded into the carriages, she joined Steve and Bucky in the carriage, sitting next to Steve as they always did when they went to London together. It might have felt like that, too, if Howard was riding with them. Thankfully, that was not the case. 

“Hello, darling,” she said as she kissed his cheek in greeting. “And greetings to you, as well, Your Highness.” 

“Lady Carter,” Bucky said as he inclined his head. “It is refreshing to be among those who have the proper respect for royalty.” 

“Howard thought that he could call His Highness by his first name simply because the marriage proposal has been accepted and I’m leaving,” Steve said. 

“Sadly, that is not surprising,” Peggy sighed. “One would think that after so many years of entertaining nobility, something resembling gentility would have rubbed off on him.” 

“I think Stark is hoping that his brusque manners will rub off on the rest of the nobility in London,” Bucky said. “He behaves with such familiarity with everyone that it makes it difficult to trust him.” 

“What should I call you, Your Highness?” Peggy asked. 

“You may call me Your Highness, Lady Carter, and sir after that,” Bucky replied. “If we become friends, I will let you call me by my preferred name.” 

“That sounds perfectly reasonable, sir,” Peggy replied easily. Steve relaxed. It was comforting to be around people who were actually familiar with manners. 

“I must admit that I am unsure what Stark is hoping to gain from an alliance with me,” Bucky continued. “He is ambitious, to be sure, but I cannot think of what specifically he hopes to gain from being in my good graces.” 

“Oh, that’s easy,” Steve said. “He wants to be Prime Minister. Probably.” 

Bucky laughed at that and Peggy and Steve were compelled to join in. It had always been a joke between the two of them, but beyond that, it was a theory they had concocted after their second season in London. That Bucky seemed amused by the theory was an encouraging sign.

“Does he really hold such lofty ambitions?” Bucky asked with a grin. “Gods have mercy, but that does sound like something he would strive for.” 

“It’s a theory, sir,” Peggy said. “Howard often invited members of parliament over for parties at his home. In fact, nobility who were in government were the only ones he ever seemed to talk to. Steve and I came to the conclusion a number of years ago.” 

“Fascinating,” Bucky replied. His amusement left his eyes to be replaced by something more calculating. “Yes, I believe you’re correct, my lady.” 

“When he’s home, he often invites prominent members of the community who are able to sway the vote,” Steve added. “He plies them with fine wine and good food in exchange for their support in the next election.” 

“I see,” Bucky said. “I often wondered how it was that he became a Member of Parliament. Now I understand. Thank you both for your insight.” 

“I am pleased to be of service, sir,” Peggy said with a smile. 

“I have once again underestimated you, little lord,” Bucky said. “You have my apologies, and my respect.” 

Steve smiled and reached down to scratch Lizzie’s ear. If this was how the relationship was to begin, it would be a fine start indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all!
> 
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